Thailand's true national dish — minced pork or chicken stir-fried with holy basil, garlic and chilli, served over rice with a fried egg.
A fast, fiery stir-fry of minced meat with garlic, bird's eye chilli, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and holy basil (krapao) — the whole thing takes 3 minutes to cook.
Always served with a crispy-edged fried egg (kai dao) on top — the runny yolk breaks into the basil-charged meat; ordering without it is possible but unusual.
Traditionally very spicy; most restaurants will reduce the chilli if you ask; the basil provides a distinctive peppery-clove note that distinguishes it from other stir-fries.
Everywhere — it's the most ordered dish in Thailand; 50–100 THB at street stalls; late-night versions at 24-hour restaurants are a rite of passage.
Pork and chicken are standard, but beef, seafood, and even crispy pork belly versions appear on many menus — specify your preferred protein when ordering, since it's rarely fixed.
Say "pad krapao" plus your protein and "kai dao" if you want the fried egg included — the dish is simple enough that miscommunication is rare even without much Thai.