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Recipe Highlights
Gapao Rice is a type of dishes I flip to after I need one thing quick, flavorful, and deeply satisfying. This Japanese model retains the daring garlic, chilis, and basil whereas utilizing substances which might be straightforward to seek out in on a regular basis kitchens. Served over Japanese short-grain rice with a fried egg on high, it turns into a comforting weeknight meal that feels each thrilling and acquainted.
- Fast one-pan dish
- Huge taste from easy substances
- Good with a fried egg and sizzling rice
In case you love rice bowl meals, attempt my Soy-Glazed Eggplant Donburi, Oyakodon, and Gyudon recipes subsequent!

What’s Gapao Rice?
Gapao Rice (ガパオライス) is the Japanese title for the Thai dish pad krapao (phat kaphrao), a basil stir-fry served over steamed rice and topped with a fried egg. In Thai, kaphrao refers to holy basil.
The unique pronunciation consists of consonant appears like “kr” that don’t exist in Japanese, and over time kaphrao was simplified to “gapao” when tailored into Japanese.
The title “Gapao Rice” is used primarily in Japan and displays how this Thai road meals was launched and tailored for Japanese house cooking.
Components for Gapao Rice
- floor pork – You’ll be able to substitute with different floor meat or tofu crumbles.
- onion
- pink bell pepper
- chook’s eye chili (Thai chili) – substitute is serrano peppers.
- garlic
- basil leaves – Ideally, holy basil; Italian basil is shut in taste.
- impartial oil
- seasonings – soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water
- fried eggs
- cooked Japanese short-grain rice
Discover the printable recipe with measurements beneath.
Make Gapao Rice
- Prep the substances. Combine the sauce substances. Cube the onion and pink bell pepper. Slice the chook’s eye chili and mince the garlic.
- Sauté the aromatics. Preheat a frying pan over medium warmth. Add impartial oil, then sauté the chili and garlic briefly till aromatic.
- Cook dinner the pork and greens. Add the bottom meat and break it up with a spatula. Cook dinner till not pink. Add the onion and prepare dinner till translucent. Then add the bell pepper and prepare dinner till tender.
- Season and simmer. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water. Stir and simmer till the sauce reduces barely.
- Add basil and serve. Flip off the warmth and add the basil leaves. Divide the rice onto plates and spoon the pork combination on high. Add a fried egg and garnish with basil.






Variations and Customizations
Seeking to change issues up? Attempt these straightforward and attractive concepts!
- Use floor hen. Swap the pork for floor hen in the event you want a lighter choice. Use tofu crumbles for a plant-based model.
- Substitute serrano peppers. In case you can’t discover chook’s eye chilis, use serrano peppers. For a milder dish, take away most or the entire seeds.
- Serve over a unique base. Spoon the holy basil stir-fry over jasmine rice or brown rice as a substitute of Japanese short-grain white rice.
- Make lettuce wraps. Serve the basil pork in crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb choice.
- Add further greens. Enhance the onion or bell pepper for extra texture and shade.

What to Serve with Gapao Rice
Gapao Rice is an easy meal in itself, however you may add easy sides to create extra stability.




Storage and Reheating Suggestions
To retailer: Switch the pork and rice into separate hermetic containers and refrigerate for as much as 3 days or freeze for 3–4 weeks.
To reheat: Heat the pork and rice till heated by way of. Fry recent eggs earlier than serving.
FAQs
Is Gapao Rice spicy?
Sure. Gapao Rice is usually spicy as a result of it makes use of chook’s eye chilis. You’ll be able to scale back the warmth by utilizing fewer inexperienced chilis or eradicating most or the entire seeds, or substituting serrano peppers.
Can I exploit common Italian basil as a substitute of holy basil for Gapao Rice?
Sure. Holy basil (tulsi) is conventional, however Italian basil tastes most comparable and works effectively on this recipe. The flavour will likely be barely completely different however nonetheless scrumptious. Thai basil has a sweeter, extra anise-like taste, so for this dish, Italian basil is definitely the closest substitute.
Can I exploit floor hen as a substitute of pork in Thai basil pork?
Sure. You’ll be able to substitute floor hen for floor pork. The cooking methodology and seasonings stay the identical.
I’d love to listen to how yours turned out! 💛 Please go away a star score and remark beneath to share your expertise. Your suggestions not solely helps Simply One Cookbook but additionally helps different house cooks uncover recipes they’ll belief.
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To Prep the Components
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Combine the 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, ½ Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1½ tsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl. Put aside.
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Reduce ½ onion into 1/2-inch slices, then reduce crosswise to cube.
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Reduce ¼ pink bell pepper into ½-inch strips, then reduce crosswise to cube.
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Slice 1–2 chook’s eye chili (Thai chili) and take away many of the seeds. Mince 3 cloves garlic now, or add it immediately into the frying pan later utilizing a garlic press, as I did.
Seeking to change issues up? Attempt these straightforward and attractive concepts!
- Use floor hen. Swap the pork for floor hen in the event you want a lighter choice. Use tofu crumbles for a plant-based model.
- Substitute serrano peppers. In case you can’t discover chook’s eye chilis, use serrano peppers. For a milder dish, take away most or the entire seeds.
- Serve over a unique base. Spoon the holy basil stir-fry over jasmine rice or brown rice as a substitute of Japanese short-grain rice.
- Make lettuce wraps. Serve the basil pork in crisp lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb choice.
- Add further greens. Enhance the onion or bell pepper for extra texture and shade.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @justonecookbook on Instagram so we will see your scrumptious creation!
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