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–+ servings
A plate of flavorful gapao rice topped with a perfectly fried egg and served with steaming white rice.

Gapao Rice (Pad Krapao)

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Gapao Rice is the Japanese name for the Thai dish pad krapao, a bold basil pork stir-fry served over rice and topped with a fried egg. This Japanese adaptation of the famous street food is quick to prepare and made in one pan. It's a flavorful rice bowl that's perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • ½ lb ground pork (or use other ground meat; or tofu crumbles for vegetarian)
  • ½ onion (small)
  • ¼ red bell pepper (seeds removed)
  • 1–2 bird's eye chili (Thai chili) (best substitute is serrano peppers, which I used today; most seeds removed for less spicy option)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 10 basil leaves (ideally holy basil, otherwise Italian basil tastes most similar; plus more for garnish)
  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 fried eggs
  • 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice

For the Seasonings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Top-down view of cooking ingredients for gapao rice on a wooden surface, including ground meat, sliced red bell pepper, onion, green chilies, fresh basil, garlic cloves, and small bowls of sauces, sugar, and water.

To Prep the Ingredients

  • Mix the 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, ½ Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1½ tsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl. Set aside.
    Two side-by-side images: on the left, hands hold small bowls of brown liquid and granulated sugar over a larger bowl—perfect for creating sauces like those used in gapao rice; on the right, the liquid is poured in as a spoon stirs the mix.
  • Cut ½ onion into 1/2-inch slices, then cut crosswise to dice.
    Two side-by-side images show hands chopping a white onion on a wooden cutting board, first slicing vertically and then horizontally to create diced pieces—perfect prep for flavorful gapao rice.
  • Cut ¼ red bell pepper into ½-inch strips, then cut crosswise to dice.
    A person prepares ingredients for gapao rice by using a knife to slice a red bell pepper into strips on a wooden cutting board, then dicing the strips into small pieces.
  • Slice 1–2 bird's eye chili (Thai chili) and remove most of the seeds. Mince 3 cloves garlic now, or add it directly into the frying pan later using a garlic press, as I did.
    Two close-up images of hands slicing fresh green chili peppers on a wooden cutting board with a large kitchen knife—perfect prep for making spicy gapao rice. Seeds and pepper slices are scattered across the board.

To Cook

  • Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. When it's hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil. Then, add 3 cloves garlic (I used a garlic press).
    A person pours oil into a skillet on a stove in the left image and presses minced garlic—perfect for making gapao rice—into the hot oil with a garlic press in the right image.
  • Add the chili and sauté with the garlic until fragrant. Add ½ lb ground pork and cook, breaking up the chunks with a spatula.
    Two side-by-side photos show a black skillet on a stove. In the first, sliced green chili and minced garlic are sautéd as ground meat for gapao rice is added. In the second, the meat is partially cooked and mixed with the chilis.
  • Cook until the meat is no longer pink, then add the onion. Stir and cook until the onion is translucent.
    Two photos of a skillet on a stove: left, chopped onions and red bell peppers are added to sautéed ground meat and green peppers—classic gapao rice ingredients; right, hands stir the savory mixture with a wooden spatula.
  • Add the bell pepper and cook until tender.
    Two side-by-side images show a person cooking gapao rice in a skillet. The left side features chopped onions, red bell peppers, and ground meat being stirred. On the right, fresh basil leaves are added to the sizzling mixture.
  • Pour in the seasonings and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce reduces a bit.
    A hand pours sauce from a small bowl into a skillet filled with cooked ground meat, diced onions, red and green bell peppers for gapao rice; next to it, the same skillet is shown with all ingredients mixed and sizzling.
  • Turn off the heat and add 10 basil leaves.
    Two side-by-side images show a person cooking gapao rice in a skillet. The left side features chopped onions, red bell peppers, and ground meat being stirred. On the right, fresh basil leaves are added to the sizzling mixture.

To Serve

  • Divide 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice on individual plates and serve the pork mixture on top. Place the 2 fried eggs on top and garnish with basil leaf.
    Two blue-and-white patterned bowls hold rice and stir-fried gapao rice with meat, vegetables, and basil; one bowl is being served, while the other has a fried egg on top and a fork beside it.

To Store

  • Store the pork and rice in separate airtight containers and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 3–4 weeks.

Notes

Variations and Customizations
Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!
  • Use ground chicken. Swap the pork for ground chicken if you prefer a lighter option. Use tofu crumbles for a plant-based version.
  • Substitute serrano peppers. If you can’t find bird’s eye chilis, use serrano peppers. For a milder dish, remove most or all of the seeds.
  • Serve over a different base. Spoon the holy basil stir-fry over jasmine rice or brown rice instead of Japanese short-grain rice.
  • Make lettuce wraps. Serve the basil pork in crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option.
  • Add extra vegetables. Increase the onion or bell pepper for more texture and color.
 
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