Pad Prik King, Thai Dry Red Curry Pork (45g Protein)

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Pad prik king is a Thai dry curry stir fry: sliced pork and green beans coated in red curry paste, with no coconut milk and almost no sauce. This version gives you about 45 grams of protein per serving, served with a portion of jasmine rice.

It takes 25 minutes in one wok. The paste does the seasoning, so the ingredient list stays short, and the finished dish is dry enough to pack into a lunch box without leaking.

Why this works

Slicing the pork thin and tossing it with a little cornstarch and fish sauce keeps lean loin tender through a hot sear. Loin dries out fast, so the pork is cooked first, removed, and only returned at the end.

Frying the paste in oil for a full minute before anything else goes in is the technique that matters. The oil carries the aromatics through the dish and cooks off the raw, harsh edge of the paste. Without that minute, the curry tastes flat and a bit sour.

Ingredient notes

Pork: Loin gives the best protein for the calories. Tenderloin works too. Pork shoulder tastes richer but adds about 8 grams of fat per serving and drops protein slightly.

Curry paste: Brands vary a lot in heat and salt. Start with 2 tablespoons, and taste the sauce at the end before adding more fish sauce. Authentic pad prik king uses a dedicated paste with more dried chili, but standard red curry paste is what most US stores carry and it works well.

Makrut lime leaves: Find them in the freezer section of Asian grocers. They are not optional in spirit, but if you cannot find them, finish with the zest of half a lime instead.

Pad Prik King (Thai Dry Red Curry Pork with Green Beans)

Thai stir fry of lean pork and green beans in a dry red curry paste. About 45 grams of protein per serving with rice, ready in 25 minutes.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 600

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 400 g lean pork loin about 14 oz, sliced 3 mm thin against the grain
• 1 tsp cornstarch for the pork
• 1 tsp fish sauce for the pork
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste Mae Ploy or Maesri
• 150 g green beans or long beans cut into 4 cm (1.5 inch) pieces
• 4 makrut lime leaves center rib removed, shredded very fine
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 300 g cooked jasmine rice about 2 cups, 150 g per serving

Method

 

1. Toss the sliced pork with the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon fish sauce. Leave it for 10 minutes while you prep everything else.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the pork in a single layer and sear for 1 minute without moving, then stir for 1 to 2 minutes until just cooked through. Move it to a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining oil. Add the curry paste and fry for 1 minute, pressing it into the oil, until it smells fragrant and the oil turns red.
4. Add the green beans and 2 tablespoons water. Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes until the beans are bright and tender with a slight bite.
5. Return the pork to the pan with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and the sugar. Toss for 1 minute over high heat until the sauce clings and there is no liquid left in the pan.
6. Turn off the heat, stir in most of the shredded lime leaves, and serve over rice with the remaining lime leaves on top.

Tips and storage

Cooked pad prik king keeps for 4 days in the fridge, which makes it a good meal prep dish. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water so the beans do not turn rubbery in the microwave. The pork can be sliced and marinated the night before.

If you like Thai pork dishes, try our Thai Pork Larb or the Thai Grilled Pork Rice Bowls. For another quick wok dish built on a fast sear, see the Thai Basil Beef.