Tom Yum Soup & Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow)
Tom Yum Soup & Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow)
Ingredients
For the Tom Yum Soup
- 6 cups water
- 3 tablespoons tom yum paste
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tomato, quartered
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 kefir lime leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
For the Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow)
- 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Thai chilies, minced (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 2 tablespoons seasoning soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water, (for slurry)
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (any color)
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, as needed
For the Chili Lime Fish Sauce (Prik Nam Pla)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or use leftover from Pad Kra Pow prep)
- 1 Thai chilies, minced (or use leftover from Pad Kra Pow prep)
- 1/2 teaspoon palm sugar, or brown sugar (or use leftover from Pad Kra Pow prep)
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 4 fried eggs, optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chili Lime Fish Sauce (Prik Nam Pla): In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, minced Thai chilies, and palm sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Start the Tom Yum Soup: In a large pot, add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the tom yum paste and stir to dissolve.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Add vegetables to the soup: Add the sliced yellow onion, quartered tomato, and sliced mushrooms to the pot. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Season the Tom Yum Soup: Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and kefir lime leaves. Reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer gently while you prepare the Pad Kra Pow, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Prepare for Pad Kra Pow: In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Set aside. Ensure your browned ground beef is ready.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Sauté aromatics for Pad Kra Pow: Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sliced yellow onion, minced garlic, minced Thai chilies, and palm sugar. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Add vegetables and beef to Pad Kra Pow: Add the sliced zucchini to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender-crisp. Add the browned ground beef and stir to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Sauce the Pad Kra Pow: Pour in the seasoning soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir well to coat all the ingredients. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir continuously until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Finish Pad Kra Pow: Add the sliced bell pepper and fresh Thai basil leaves. Stir quickly until the basil wilts, about 1 minute. Remove from heat immediately to prevent overcooking the basil.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Serve: Ladle the Tom Yum Soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve the Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow) over hot jasmine rice. Optionally, top the Pad Kra Pow with a fried egg. Serve with the prepared Chili Lime Fish Sauce on the side.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Tom Yum Soup & Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow)
For the Tom Yum Soup
- 6 cups water
- 3 tablespoons tom yum paste
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 tomato, quartered
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 kefir lime leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
For the Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow)
- 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Thai chilies, minced (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 2 tablespoons seasoning soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water, (for slurry)
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (any color)
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, as needed
For the Chili Lime Fish Sauce (Prik Nam Pla)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or use leftover from Pad Kra Pow prep)
- 1 Thai chilies, minced (or use leftover from Pad Kra Pow prep)
- 1/2 teaspoon palm sugar, or brown sugar (or use leftover from Pad Kra Pow prep)
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 4 fried eggs, optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chili Lime Fish Sauce (Prik Nam Pla): In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, minced Thai chilies, and palm sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Start the Tom Yum Soup: In a large pot, add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the tom yum paste and stir to dissolve.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Add vegetables to the soup: Add the sliced yellow onion, quartered tomato, and sliced mushrooms to the pot. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Season the Tom Yum Soup: Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and kefir lime leaves. Reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer gently while you prepare the Pad Kra Pow, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Prepare for Pad Kra Pow: In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry. Set aside. Ensure your browned ground beef is ready.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Sauté aromatics for Pad Kra Pow: Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sliced yellow onion, minced garlic, minced Thai chilies, and palm sugar. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Add vegetables and beef to Pad Kra Pow: Add the sliced zucchini to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender-crisp. Add the browned ground beef and stir to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Sauce the Pad Kra Pow: Pour in the seasoning soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir well to coat all the ingredients. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir continuously until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Finish Pad Kra Pow: Add the sliced bell pepper and fresh Thai basil leaves. Stir quickly until the basil wilts, about 1 minute. Remove from heat immediately to prevent overcooking the basil.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Serve: Ladle the Tom Yum Soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve the Thai Beef Basil (Pad Kra Pow) over hot jasmine rice. Optionally, top the Pad Kra Pow with a fried egg. Serve with the prepared Chili Lime Fish Sauce on the side.
⏱️ 5 min