Pad Prik Khing with Crispy Pork Belly or Tofu

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bold, spicy-savory flavors with a fragrant, dry-style finish—no coconut milk needed.
• Crunchy long beans meet crispy pork belly or golden tofu for irresistible texture.
• Weeknight-friendly: about 30 minutes with simple, store-bought red curry paste.
• Balanced and bright thanks to makrut (kaffir) lime leaves and just the right touch of sweetness.

Grocery List

• Produce: Long beans or green beans, garlic, Thai bird’s eye chiles (optional), makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, lime (optional for serving).
• Dairy: None.
• Pantry: Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar (or light brown sugar), neutral oil (peanut/rice bran), jasmine rice, cornstarch (for tofu), pork belly or extra-firm tofu.

Full Ingredients

Protein (choose one)

• Crispy Pork Belly: 12 oz (340 g) pre-cooked crispy pork belly, cut into 1/2–3/4 inch pieces
• or Crispy Tofu: 14 oz (396 g) extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed 15 minutes, cut into 3/4-inch batons, tossed with 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Vegetables & Aromatics

• 1 lb (450 g) long beans or green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1–2 Thai bird’s eye chiles, thinly sliced (optional, for extra heat)
• 6 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, stems removed, very thinly sliced (reserve a pinch for garnish)

Curry Seasoning

• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1.5 tbsp palm sugar (packed) or light brown sugar
• 1.5–2 tbsp fish sauce, to taste
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 3–4 tbsp water (to loosen the paste; start with 3 tbsp)
• 2–3 tbsp neutral oil (peanut or rice bran), divided

To Serve

• Hot jasmine rice
• Lime wedges (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the beans, aromatics, and protein

Trim and cut the long beans into 2-inch pieces. Mince the garlic and thinly slice the Thai chiles (if using). Stack the makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, remove the central rib, roll them tightly, and slice as finely as possible into thin ribbons; reserve a pinch for garnish. For pork belly, cut into bite-size pieces. For tofu, press for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture, then cut into 3/4-inch batons and toss with 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.

Step 2: Make the curry seasoning mixture

In a small bowl, whisk together the red curry paste, palm sugar, fish sauce (start with 1.5 tbsp), soy sauce, and 3 tbsp water until smooth and glossy. This slurry helps the paste fry evenly and cling to the beans without forming a wet sauce.

Step 3: Crisp the protein

Heat a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high. For pork belly: add to the dry pan and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the fat renders and edges are deeply crisp. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan, and transfer pork to a plate. For tofu: add 2 tbsp oil to the hot pan and fry 6–8 minutes, turning, until all sides are golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate.

Step 4: Blister the beans

Return the pan to high heat. If the pan looks dry, add 1 tbsp oil. Add the beans and stir-fry 2 minutes until bright green with a few charred spots. Splash in 1–2 tbsp water and stir-fry another 1–2 minutes until just tender-crisp. Transfer beans to the plate with the protein.

Step 5: Fry the curry paste

Reduce heat to medium-high and add 1 tbsp oil if needed. Add the garlic and sliced chiles; stir 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the curry seasoning mixture and stir-fry 60–90 seconds. It should sizzle, thicken, and look glossy, with a slight red oil sheen. If it looks dry before turning glossy, splash in 1 tbsp water.

Step 6: Combine and dry-fry to finish

Return the beans and protein to the pan along with most of the sliced makrut leaves (reserve a pinch). Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until everything is evenly coated and the pan looks almost dry—the paste should cling to the beans and pieces of pork belly or tofu. Taste and adjust: add a splash more fish sauce for salt/umami or a pinch more sugar to balance heat.

Step 7: Serve

Transfer to a warm platter or shallow bowl. Garnish with the remaining makrut leaves. Serve immediately with hot jasmine rice and optional lime wedges. Enjoy the bold, dry-style finish—no coconut milk needed.

Pro Tips

• Slice makrut leaves ultra-thin for a perfume that spreads evenly without chewy bits.
• Fry the curry paste until you see a light red sheen—this “oil split” moment unlocks deeper flavor.
• Keep the wok hot: work in batches and avoid overcrowding to maintain crisp beans and protein.
• Tofu loves cornstarch: it helps create a golden, shattering crust that grabs the curry paste.
• Use long beans if you can: they stay snappy and soak up curry flavor beautifully; green beans are a fine backup.

Variations

• Chicken version: use 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced; stir-fry until browned and cooked through before the beans.
• All-vegetable: add 1 cup sliced bell peppers or sliced baby corn with the beans for extra color and crunch.
• Vegan: swap fish sauce for 1.5 tbsp soy sauce plus 1 tsp vegan “fish” sauce or 1 tsp mushroom powder for umami.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet 2–3 minutes to revive crisp edges (add a teaspoon of water to loosen if needed). Not ideal for freezing. For a head start, trim and cut beans and slice makrut leaves up to 2 days ahead; press and cut tofu up to 24 hours ahead.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, without rice. With pork belly: 520–620 calories; 22–28 g protein; 35–45 g fat; 20–25 g carbs; 5–7 g fiber; 1,200–1,600 mg sodium (varies with fish sauce). With tofu: 220–280 calories; 15–20 g protein; 10–14 g fat; 20–25 g carbs; 5–7 g fiber; 900–1,300 mg sodium.