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Thailand, Asia · Pad Kra Pao with Fried Egg

Kra Pao Cheese Toastie

Bangkok convenience-store vibes: dry-fried kra pao pork and stretchy mozzarella pressed between buttery golden bread, with sriracha mayo for dipping.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time20 min
DifficultyEasy

Method

  1. Finely chop the garlic and chilies and roughly tear the basil leaves. Mix the oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.

    Add in this stepGarlic (cloves) 3Thai bird's eye chilies 1Holy basil (or Thai basil) 15 gOyster sauce 2 tspFish sauce ½ tspSugar ½ tsp

  2. Heat the oil in a 22 cm pan over high heat, fry the garlic and chilies for 10 seconds, then add the pork and stir-fry for , breaking it into small crumbs. It is done when no pink remains and all you hear is the fat sizzling.

    Add in this stepCooking oil 1 tbspMinced pork 160 g

    high heat

  3. Add the sauce and stir-fry over medium-high heat for until all the liquid has gone. Turn off the heat, mix in the basil, spread the filling on a plate and let it cool for 2 minutes. A wet filling makes soggy toast, so cook it really dry.

    medium-high heat

  4. Butter one side of each slice thinly and lay them buttered side down. Top with half the cheese, the kra pao and the rest of the cheese, then close with a second slice. The cheese on both sides glues the filling in place.

    Add in this stepSandwich bread (about 1.5 cm thick, slices) 4Butter (softened) 20 gGrated mozzarella 60 g

  5. Heat the pan over medium-low heat, add the sandwiches, cover with a lid and press down firmly with a spatula as they cook. Flip halfway, when the underside is deep golden. Cook 2 at a time in 1 batch(es), in total. It is done when melted cheese oozes out the sides.

    medium-low heat

  6. Mix the mayonnaise and sriracha for the dip, cut the toasties diagonally and serve with the sauce.

    Add in this stepMayonnaise 2 tbspSriracha sauce 1 tsp

Cook's tip

Too much heat burns the outside before the cheese melts, so stay at medium-low. Weighing the sandwich down with a heavy pot makes it flat and extra crisp. Leftover kra pao, reheated until dry, works perfectly.

Cooking it at camp

Cook and cool the filling at home and pack it in a tub, so at camp you only assemble and toast. If you have a jaffle iron, toast it over the campfire or burner, turning it from side to side.