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Pad Kra Pao Baos

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

I like to introduce these pad kra pao baos as the ultimate Asian comfort food. Every morsel delivers a chock-full of flavours ranging from sweet, salty, spicy and a touch of tartness. Talk about the perfect little bite eh?

 

Basically, today is a public holiday in Hong Kong. Taught my niece how to bake a matcha chiffon cake this morning then figured lunchtime is just around the corner – what shall I make? I had some Thai basil lying around the house, scavenged my freezer and found some mince pork collar and some baos so figured I’d be resourceful and instead of serving the classic pad pra kao with rice, I could enclose it inside those fluffy soft Chinese baos that you steam.

I guess pad kra pao needs not much explanation. Literally translated, it means “holy basil stir fry”. It is one of the most ubiquitous street foods in Thailand (probably second to the pad thai). It is super easy and fast to make, making it a perfect weeknight dinner. As for where to find those Chinese gua bao’s (刈包), I’d look for your local Asian grocer. I mean, if you are game and time is not working against you, by all means feel free to make your own. Here is a workable gua bao recipe from Kitchen Sanctuary.

As for myself, I’m perfectly fine with saving time by using the store bought version (I have a day job after all to manage on top of my supper club). So I rather focus on the centerpiece of these baos: the pad kra pao delivered with an edge.

Which begs the question? What is the edge? Well…my “secret sauce” today is the Momofuku chili crunch (not I get no affiliate commissions). Just that I so happened to have it in my fridge (was a gift) so I figured it’d be the perfect condiment to drizzle on top. I also had a raddish at home so sliced it thin with my mandoline (be careful of your fingers) to insert inside the bao as well.

And just like that, in the palm of your hands you can have a fushion of Thai with Chinese.

If you like this recipe, please follow my instagram here and tag @kitchenmesshk should you make these little cute pockets of joy. Also, please leave a review below 🙂

Pad Kra Pao Baos

Print
Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: -0.2/5
( 56 voted )

Ingredients

  • 500g pork mince (not too lean)
  • 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of light/regular soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 2 chillis, sliced thinly (deseeded if desired)
  • Bunch of Thai basil, leaves torn off
  • 1/3 cup of water or chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
  • 8 teaspoons of Momofuku chili sauce (feel free to substitute)

Instructions

  1. Marinade the minced pork with the light soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, place the frozen pork baos in a steamer basket with water underneath and turn on the stove to let the baos steam for ~8 minutes over medium heat. They will be down the same time you finish cooking the pad kra pao.
  3. In a wok or frying pan on medium-high heat, add the oil and then add the garlic, shallots. Fry for 3 minutes or so. Add the chillis and fry for another minute.
  4. Now addthe ground pork. Break the pork mince up to let it cook thoroughly and crisp up.
  5. Add the dark soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce. Stir-fry for another minute then deglaze the pan with water or chicken broth. The liquid should evaporate rather fast. Quickly add the thai basil and give it a good stir till it is wilted. Turn off the heat.
  6. The baos should be ready. Open the pockets and line the baos with the thinly sliced radish (if using) and spoon in the pad kra pow carefully. Finish each bao with a generous teaspoon of momofuku chili sauce (adjust quantity if too spicy).  Serve while hot.

Notes

- Assuming 2 baos per person, 500g of minced pork/chicken will make roughly 4 servings (8 baos). - Feel free to substitute the pork with chicken or beef mince - Don't use a pork mince that is too lean; it won't be as juicy.

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Marinated Herbed Cherry Tomatoes

by michelletang118
written by michelletang118

A simple marinated herbed cherry tomato recipe.  You can’t possibly go wrong with this recipe. It is also vegan and gluten-free friendly

Five ingredients really all you need: cherry tomatoes, shallots, garlic, herb(s) of your choosing and extra virgin olive oil. Plus a generous pinch of salt. For those who prefer sweeter tomatoes, I will also include the added option to add a sweetener of your choice too if desired (e.g. maple syrup or agave syrup).

For a smoother and luxurious, silky texture, I removed the skin on the tomatoes. To do this quickly, cut a criss cross slit at the bottom of each tomato then let them boil in a pot of hot simmering water for a minute or two before quickly draining it and letting it sit in a pot of ice water.  Once sufficiently cooled (few minutes) you can easily remove the skin off each tomato with a small paring knife.

Once done, simply put the tomatoes in a big mason jar along with the marinade. I like to use a combination of shallot, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, chopped basil (feel free to use whatever herb you fancy but today I decided to use basil and dill as I had some in my fridge), salt and pepper.  Added a generous dose of extra virgin olive oil and also a teaspoon of maple syrup.  Feel free to swap out the balsamic vinegar with another acid of your choosing such as lemon juice, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc.

Now just let the marinated tomatoes sit still in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours minimum. You can also let them soak in all that goodness overnight for up to 24 hours, especially if your tomatoes were sturdy to begin with. I like to serve these with burrata but feel free to use it on salads or to make crostinis.

Marinated Herbed Cherry Tomatoes

Print
Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of mixed cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped basil (or pick herb of your choosing such as parsley)
  • 3 shallots, diced finely
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced finely
  • 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (or vinegar or acid of your choosing)
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

  1. Remove skin of the tomatoes. Boil pot of boiling water and slit the ends of each tomato in a criss cross pattern lightly. Throw tomatoes into pot of boiling water and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
  2. Drain tomatoes and transfer the tomatoes into a pot of ice cold water. Let it sit for a few minutes before removing the skin with a paring knife.
  3. Put peeled tomatoes into a mason jar and add the chopped herbs, garlic, shallot, vinegar, olive oil and sweetener (if using). Add salt and pepper (if desired) and mix. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight to soak up all the goodness in flavors.
  4. Tomatoes are ready to serve. Can bring it back to room temperature before doing so (30 minutes in advance).

Notes

* I like to serve mine with burrata but feel free to toss it in a salad, pasta, on top of grilled fish or on toasted bread (like a crostini).

 

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