Vegan Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao)
You love thai cuisine and you are looking for a vegetarian or vegan recipe? You absolutely must try this recipe of Vegan Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao). This recipe is inspired as closely as possible by the original version and I replaced the chicken with seitan, a vegetable alternative to meat.
Tips to make this Vegan Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao)
Before I give you my tips for making this recipe for Vegan Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao), I want to give the source of my inspiration. I was looking for a recipe for Pad Kra Pao made with seitan for some time and I came across this recipe from The Woks of Life and was inspired by it.
Seitan, an alternative to meat
To replace chicken, the meat used in the original version of the recipe, I used seitan. Seitan is an ingredient from the Asian cuisine which is mainly composed of gluten.
Its texture is slightly spongy, which makes it ideal for absorbing the aromas of the sauce and thai basil. . Find more information about seitan in my recipe for Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce, also made with seitan.
The essential ingredients
To keep the authenticity of the Pad Kra Pao or Thai Basil Chicken recipe, you need the following ingredients.
- Thai basil: This is the star element of this recipe. Thai basil has a very particular aroma, typical of Southeast Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, it is not possible to replace it. Note however that there are several types of Thai basil, the “sweet basil” (this is the one you usually buy under the name “Thai basil“) and the “holy basil“. The original recipe of Pad Kra Pao is prepared only with “holy basil”, however, being rare and difficult to find, it can be made just as well with sweet basil or a combination of both.
- Soy sauce and dark soy sauce: It is important to distinguish between the two soy sauces and not to replace dark soy sauce with traditional soy sauce. The dark soy sauce adds colour to the seitan and a strong umami taste.
- Fish sauce: In this recipe, I suggest using fish sauce. For a 100% vegan version, you can remove the fish sauce and replace it with a dash of soy sauce.
- Thai shallots: Thai shallots are much smaller than the shallots found in Europe. Their taste is also different, they are sweeter and milder in taste. If you can’t find any in the shops, reduce the amount of shallot to one small European shallot or a small white onion.
- Thai chilies: Also called bird’s eye chilies, they are relatively hot. The quantity of chillies suggested in the recipe makes for a fairly spicy Pad Kra Pao. You can reduce the amount to just two chillies for a less spicy version or even just one chilli. Another tip is to remove the seeds inside the pepper and keep only the flesh.
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to ask me in comments.
Recipe for Vegan Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao)
For 2 to 3 servings you need the following ingredients.
Ingredients
- 200 g seitan, drained
- 100 g Thai basil
- 100 g fresh or frozen green beans
- 4 Thai shallots
- 3 Thai chilies
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 lime
- 10 ml of soy sauce
- 5 ml dark soy sauce
- 10 ml of fish sauce, to be removed for a 100% vegan version
- 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, such as sunflower or rice oil
Questions about the ingredients? You can find my explanations on this list of ingredients above.
Preparation
Drain the seitan and tear into small pieces (you can also use a knife but doing it by hand makes it more authentic). Detach the Thai basil from the branches.
Cut the Thai chillies finely and chop the garlic and shallots.
For the sauce, mix the sugar in the soy sauce and add the dark soy sauce and the fish sauce.
If using fresh beans, cook them for 10 minutes in boiling water.
In a hot wok or frying pan, add the oil and sauté the chili, garlic and shallots for 1-2 minutes. Then add the seitan and sauté for 2 minutes until it turns brown. Depending on the heat of your wok, this may take a little longer. Add the green beans.
Then pour in the sauce and stir well. To finish, add the Thai basil and remove the wok from the heat in order for the Thai basil not lose its flavour. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Serve immediately with white Thai rice and a lime wedge.
Pictures
Find the steps of the recipe in pictures.
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Vegan Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao)
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Ingredients
- 200 g seitan drained
- 100 g Thai basil
- 100 g fresh or frozen green beans
- 4 Thai shallots
- 3 Thai chilies
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 lime
- 10 ml of soy sauce
- 5 ml dark soy sauce
- 10 ml of fish sauce to be removed for a 100% vegan version
- 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of neutral oil such as sunflower or rice oil
Instructions
- Drain the seitan and tear into small pieces (you can also use a knife but doing it by hand makes it more authentic). Detach the Thai basil from the branches.
- Cut the Thai chillies finely and chop the garlic and shallots.
- For the sauce, mix the sugar in the soy sauce and add the dark soy sauce and the fish sauce.
- If using fresh beans, cook them for 10 minutes in boiling water.
- In a hot wok or frying pan, add the oil and sauté the chili, garlic and shallots for 1-2 minutes. Then add the seitan and sauté for 2 minutes until it turns brown. Depending on the heat of your wok, this may take a little longer. Add the green beans.
- Then pour in the sauce and stir well. To finish, add the Thai basil and remove the wok from the heat in order for the Thai basil not lose its flavour. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
- Serve immediately with white Thai rice and a lime wedge.
