Pad Krapow Ped

This is one of my absolute favourites, and my comfort food whenever I’m feeling a bit blue. Just one bite of it, and I’m back in Bangkok.

You can substitute the duck with pork, shrimp, beef, chicken, fish, tofu… really whatever you want. Just make sure you serve it with a deep-fried egg on top.

6 cloves garlic, peeled

a small pinch of salt

6 Birds Eye chillis

1 long orange chilli (or a red or green)

175g duck, minced (or the meat of your choice)

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

A large handful of sweet or holy basil, leaves only, picked off the stem — the more the merrier!

1. Put the garlic, salt and chillis into a pestle and mortar and pound them into a rough paste. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the light and dark soy sauce, water and the sugar and stir to combine.

3. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat until you see a nice heat haze hovering over it.

4. Throw in the chilli garlic mix and stir fry for a few seconds, until you can really SMELL everything, but not long enough to colour the garlic. Add the duck. Stir, stir stir, move it all around until cooked through. Add the soy, water and sugar mix and stir it through allowing it to bubble slightly. Add the basil, allow it to wilt lightly.

5. Serve with some plain steamed or boiled rice, and, to make it extra special and very Thai, a fried egg on top, just to finish it off!

6. EAT!