Thai Basil Beef

Thai basil beef (aka pad graw prow). The dish I order almost every time I set foot in a Thai restaurant, and one of my favorite things to cook at home. While we’ve posted a recipe for Thai Basil Chicken in the past, this beef version has a more intense flavor that comes from the darker, richer sauce used here.
As I sit here writing this post at 12:17 AM on my couch, I’m seriously thinking about getting up and making some thai basil beef right now. And if I gave into my weaker impulses and did end up going to the kitchen right now to start preparing it, I’d be back on the couch within fifteen minutes with a piping hot bowl. That’s how easy it is to make. It’s a fifteen minute recipe from start to finish and has been one of my go-to weeknight meals just for that reason.

If you’ve never tried Thai basil before, you can find it in some grocery stores nowadays, as well as Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find it, feel free to substitute regular Italian basil. You won’t get quite the same cinnamon-y flavor, but you’ll be in the same ballpark at least. On with the recipe!

(Note: I’ve been told by a couple commenters from Thailand that pad gra prow is actually made with a different kind of basil, called holy basil. If you can find it in your local Asian grocery store, by all means use it! But Thai Basil or, as I mentioned, regular Italian basil, can also work for this dish. At that point, it might not be a true pad gra prow, but it will still be good!)

Thai Basil Beef
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

•     1 1/4 cups jasmine rice or long-grain white rice for serving
•     2 Tbsp + 1 tsp vegetable oil
•     1 tsp cornstarch
•     1 lb flank steak, sliced against the grain into thin strips
•     1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
•     1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
•     1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, diced into 2-inch strips
•     Sesame seeds (optional)
•     1 cup fresh basil leaves (roughly chop larger leaves), plus more for garnish
•     1 cup matchstick carrots

Sauce

•     3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
•     1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
•     1/3 cup water
•     1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
•     1 Tbsp oyster sauce
•     1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
•     2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
•     1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek, or more to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare rice: Cook rice according to directions listed on package.
2. For the sauce: In a small mixing bowl whisk together soy sauce and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in water, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and Sambal Oelek if using, set aside.
3. For the beef: Toss beef with 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp cornstarch. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over moderately high heat. Add beef and cook until browned on both sides but still slightly under-cooked in the center. Transfer beef to a plate while leaving oil in skillet.
4. For the veggies: Reduce heat slightly, add bell pepper, onions and garlic and saute until crisp tender, about 2 - 3 minutes (if needed you can add another 1 tsp of oil to the skillet). Add carrots and whisk sauce mixture once more then pour into skillet.
5. Allow sauce to simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 1 minute. Return beef to skillet along with basil leaves, toss until basil has just wilted. Serve immediately over cooked rice garnished with small basil leaves and sesame seeds if desired.

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