Thai Vegetarian Pad kra pow also known as Thai tofu basil stir fry is one of the popular Thai dish around the world. Traditional pad kra pow is made using ground pork or chicken, garlic, bird eye chillies and Thai basil. This vegan twist to the authentic dish is so good and will become a repitore on your family dinner table.
Tofu Basil Stir Fry Recipe
You all know my love for pad kra pow from my chicken basil stir fry. The one Thai dish I make very often is that. The spicy chicken with the fragrant Thai basil makes perfect combo with steamed jasmine rice and I make it whenever I get my hands on Thai basil.
About Vegan Pad Kra Pow
Past couple of months we are on a vegetarian journey. So I am giving some of my favorite dishes veg or vegan twist. One of the most loved dish is this vegan pad kra pow.
The tofu pairs beautiful with Thai basil and it absorbs the flavours from the garlic, chillies and sauces so well. I served with steamed brown rice and everyone in the family loved it
Vegan pad kra pow loosely translates to tofu basil stir fry is a vegetarian Thai dish made by stir frying garlic, onions, red chillies with sauces, seasoning and finished with basil leaves in the end. It is a vegetarian twist to the world famous Thai basil chicken stir fry.
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The recipe start by chopping garlic, shallots, bird eye chillies and stir frying in oil. Crumbled tofu is added into the garlic along with sauces, seasonings and finished with Thai basil. The dish is flavour packed and tasted so good with steamed rice.
When I made this dish, I had some leftovers, the next day I added cooked rice into it and stir fried in wok to make quick and easy basil fried rice and it tasted even better.
Ingredients
- Flavourings - garlic, shallots and Thai bird eye chillies is crushed roughly to form the base of the stir fry.
- Tofu - use extra firm tofu as protein in this dish. Make sure to press the tofu to remove the excess water so it absorbs the sauces better.
- Sauces and seasonings - I used soy sauce, hoisin sauce, salt, sugar and white pepper powder as flavourings.
- Optional - you can use vegetables like green beans, long beans, or bell peppers.
- Basil leaves - Thai basil leaves is used in the end for the authentic aroma, but you can use regular basil leaves as well.
Step by Step Pictures
1)Take garlic, shallots and Thai chillies in a food processor and chop the roughly. Alternatively, you can chop it fine using a knife. Press tofu in multiple layers of paper towel to remove excess moisture. Crumble them fine and set aside.
2)Crushed garlic, chillies and shallots.
3)Heat oil in a wok on high heat. Add in the crushed garlic chilli mix and stir fry for a minute until the flavour is released into the oil.
4)Add in crumbled tofu and toss with the garlic mixture on high heat for 2 minutes.
5)Add in green beans and cook that for 2 minutes on high.
6)Now the tofu has got some colour and green beans is tender.
8)Add in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper powder and mix through.
9)taste and adjust seasonings.
10)Add in Thai basil leaves in the end and toss through.
11)Take it off the heat and serve with steamed rice.
Expert tips
Tofu - choose the right tofu for this dish. Soft or silken tofu won't work in this recipe, instead use firm or extra firm tofu. Make sure to press the tofu in multiple layers of paper towel to remove excess moisture. Make sure to crumble tofu into fine crumbs so it mix better in the sauces.
Flavourings - be generous with garlic, since they are the main flavouring. You can use onions instead of shallots. Adjust the quantity of Thai red chillies depending on your taste and spice tolerance.
High heat for flavour - use high heat to cook this dish for maximum flavour concentration.
Basil leaves - Thai basil leaves is used in the end for the authentic aroma, but you can use regular basil leaves as well.
Storage and Serving - vegan pad kra pow can be stored in fridge upto 3 days and reheated when serving. This dish taste best with steamed jasmine rice.
FAQ
You can use any vegetarian meat alternatives instead of tofu.
You can use vegetarian oyster sauce instead of hoisin sauce, or alternatively you can use extra bit of soy sauce, vinegar and a bit of sugar.
Even though Thai basil gives the authentic taste, You can use regular basil instead of Thai basil.
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Thai Tofu Basil Stir Fry Recipe (Vegan Pad Kra Pow)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil
- 200 grams Extra Firm Tofu Crumbled
- 6 no Green beans cut into 2 inch piece
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce or Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon White pepper powder
- 2 cups Thai Basil leaves
- Salt to taste
To Crush or Grind
- 6 cloves Garlic peeled
- 6 to 8 no Thai Bird Eye chillies
- 10 no Shallots peeled
Instructions
- Take garlic, shallots and Thai chillies in a food processor and chop the roughly. Alternatively, you can chop it fine using a knife. Press tofu in multiple layers of paper towel to remove excess moisture. Crumble them fine and set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok on high heat. Add in the crushed garlic chilli mix and stir fry for a minute until the flavour is released into the oil. Add in crumbled tofu and toss with the garlic mixture on high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add in green beans and cook that for 2 minutes on high.
- Add in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper powder and mix through.
- Add in Thai basil leaves in the end and toss through. Take it off the heat and serve with steamed rice.
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