Had lunch at my favorite "American-Thai" restaurant yesterday. I got
what they list as Pot Krappao Nua, which was heavenly. Googling for a
recipe turned up a whole lot of scolding for misspelling, and
unsuccessful alternates. I *did* eventually find "Spicy Basil Chicken"
listed as Gkai Pad Gkaprow, which seems like more or less what I was
after (except beef instead of chicken, of course). A good bit of the
very generous portion went into a take-home package. My car was
fragrant with delicious vapors. A look at the 'Spicy Basil Chicken'
recipe shows that a generous amount of garlic may be responsible for a
lot of that fragrance.

Q1: recipe? Spelling?

Q2: Do people regularly eating a garlic-rich cuisine not find the
after-breath offensive? Are there any special secrets to not blowing
down acquaintences when you say, "Hhhi"? I don't think chewing parsley
is going to make me socially acceptable for about 3 days.

On 11 Dec 2003 20:22:22 GMT, wrote:

>Frogleg > wrote:

>> Had lunch at my favorite "American-Thai" restaurant yesterday. I got
>> what they list as Pot Krappao Nua, which was heavenly. Googling for a
>> recipe turned up a whole lot of scolding for misspelling, and
>> unsuccessful alternates. I *did* eventually find "Spicy Basil Chicken"
>> listed as Gkai Pad Gkaprow[]
>>
>> Q1: recipe? Spelling?
>
>Sounds like you may be describing Spicy Stir-fried Beef with Garlic and
>Mint or Basil(Nua Gra Pao):

<recipe snipped but saved>

>Let me know if this is what you're talking about and if you make it, give
>me a critique and any mods you made.

This sounds very close. It *was* a smaller leafed and somewhat twiggy
basil, not the soft Italian kind, and slightly sweet. I mean the sauce
was. I'll give it a shot.
>>
>> Q2: Do people regularly eating a garlic-rich cuisine not find the
>> after-breath offensive? Are there any special secrets to not blowing
>> down acquaintences when you say, "Hhhi"? I don't think chewing parsley
>> is going to make me socially acceptable for about 3 days.
>
>I advise against socializing with people that don't eat garlic. Their
>breath smells strange. <g>

Sigh. Garlic is a mean trick on humans. So good to eat; so, um,
pungent to experience 2nd hand. Sidebar: I once detected a "bad
breath" smell in my kitchen. After several days of sniffing and
cleaning out the 'fridge, I tracked it to an elderly garlic bulb in a
cupboard. I thought it interesting that the odor wasn't at all
'garlic', but 'after garlic.' Life is full of ironies. You may quote
me. :-)

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 21:17:48 GMT, Frogleg > wrote:

>>Sounds like you may be describing Spicy Stir-fried Beef with Garlic and
>>Mint or Basil(Nua Gra Pao):
>
><recipe snipped but saved>
>
>>Let me know if this is what you're talking about and if you make it, give
>>me a critique and any mods you made.
>
>This sounds very close. It *was* a smaller leafed and somewhat twiggy
>basil, not the soft Italian kind, and slightly sweet. I mean the sauce
>was. I'll give it a shot.

Thai basil is quite unlike Italian basil, which is he kind found in
most "American" supermarkets. A mix of cilantro, Ita;ian basil and
mint doesn;t match Thai basil but seems to add the same tones of
fragrance.

>
> Thai basil is quite unlike Italian basil, which is he kind found in
> most "American" supermarkets. A mix of cilantro, Ita;ian basil and
> mint doesn;t match Thai basil but seems to add the same tones of
> fragrance.

Isn't Thai basil "sacred basil"? I would not say it is "quite unlike" store
bought Italian but is tinged purple and, as provided with Vietnamese pho, it
is much crisper and in better condition.


--
James V. Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> >
> > Thai basil is quite unlike Italian basil, which is he kind found in
> > most "American" supermarkets. A mix of cilantro, Ita;ian basil and
> > mint doesn;t match Thai basil but seems to add the same tones of
> > fragrance.
>
> Isn't Thai basil "sacred basil"?


Well, it has certainly been called that by some, but it sounds too much like
"holy basil," which is different. I call Thai basil (horapha), "red basil."
I call "holy basil" (kaprao), "holy basil." Holy basil is hard to find in
the States, though some stores out west have it all the time.


I would not say it is "quite unlike" store
> bought Italian but is tinged purple and, as provided with Vietnamese pho,
it
> is much crisper and in better condition.


I think it's quite unlike Italian basil (which I call "green basil")
When I make Thai curries and have no red basil available, I don't think it
tastes right at all. I have substituted green basil, but it doesn't quite
do it.

Peter

"Peter Dy" > wrote in message
om...
>
> "James Silverton" > wrote in message
> ...
> > >
> > > Thai basil is quite unlike Italian basil, which is he kind found in
> > > most "American" supermarkets. A mix of cilantro, Ita;ian basil and
> > > mint doesn;t match Thai basil but seems to add the same tones of
> > > fragrance.
> >
> > Isn't Thai basil "sacred basil"?

I am coming to respect Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, a lot. The article
on basil seems to have most of the answers, tho' disagreement is always
possible (g).

See

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_(plant)