Name: Pad Prik King Recipe (Thai Red Curry Stir-Fry)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1.5 tablespoon oil; 2 tablespoons red curry paste (see notes); 10 ounces pork belly (cut into bite-sized pieces); 3 tablespoons oyster sauce; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 0.5 tablespoons fish sauce; 1.5 tablespoon white sugar; 10 yardlong beans (cut into bite-sized pieces.); 5 Thai eggplants (optional, cut into 2 or 4 pieces); 3 red chilies (optional, to taste); 3 kaffir lime leaves (stems removed); 4 tablespoons water (optional, for a saucy dish)

Jump to Recipe

This pad prik king recipe is the perfect dish for your busy weeknights! It’s a spicy Thai red curry stir-fry with Thai eggplants, long beans, and red curry paste that’s ready in less than 20 minutes.

Pad prik king, Thai red curry stir-fry, with pork and green beans served in a white dish.

Serve it with jasmine rice and feel free to customize this recipe with your favorite proteins like pork, beef, or chicken.

I’m always in the mood for Thai red curry. Dishes like gaeng daeng and authentic Thai red curry are on my weekly dinner rotation, and this spicy stir-fry is one of my favorite orders at Thai restaurants.

What is pad prik king

Pad prik king, or pad prik khing, is a spicy Thai red curry stir-fry. In this classic Thai dish, curry paste gets stir-fried with greens beans and proteins like chicken or pork.

Pad phrik king recipe

This stir-fried red curry recipe is so quick and easy to make, it’s perfect for a busy night or a lazy Sunday. Simply follow the easy instructions, and you’ll have delicious, homemade Thai food on your table faster than takeout delivers!

Close-up of pad prik king with pork, Thai eggplants, and yard long beans.

One of the best things about this pad prik king recipe is how customizable it is. You can switch it up with your favorite proteins and vegetables, with the many customization options coming up after the instructions.

And whether you use my homemade Thai red curry paste or store-bought, it’ll be just as delicious. You can easily customize the spice to suit your taste or make it mild for the kids.

I’ve added some Thai eggplants alongside the traditional yard long beans because I think they add a yummy crunch and just that bit of extra flavor. They’re just perfect with the kaffir lime leaves that add a fresh, citrusy aroma.

2 Portions of red curry stir-fry with green beans in a white dish, and a portion of sticky rice in a bamboo rice pot.

It’s well-rounded street food with protein, vegetables, and carbs from the rice. You can opt for pork belly like I did, or use lean chicken for a guilt-free meal you can enjoy without thinking twice.

Ingredients

Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Sliced pork, red curry paste, sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce, in glass cups on a wooden background. There's also bite-sized pieces of Thai eggplants, green beans, chilies, and kaffir lime leaves in a bamboo place mat.

Pork belly – With a nice balance of fat and meat, pork belly adds a juicy texture that perfectly absorbs the rich flavors of the curry and spices.
Yardlong beans – A key ingredient, these beans have a crisp texture and slightly sweet flavor that goes great with the spicy curry paste.
Thai eggplants (optional) – I think Thai eggplants are great in curry stir-fries. They’re optional, so feel free to omit them.
Kaffir lime leaves – You can find these at an Asian grocery store or at Asian markets. Remove their stems before use. Extra kaffir lime leaves can be frozen for later.
Oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy sauce – A savory, umami-rich, and slightly sweet stir-fry sauce coats the vegetables and protein.
White sugar – White sugar is essential for balancing out the spicy and salty notes.
Thai red curry paste – My recipe for red curry paste is made with traditional ingredients like kaffir lime skin, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and turmeric. Prepare it with a mortar and pestle or use a food processor for convenience. For store-bought paste, opt for Mae Ploy or Maesri.
Oil – Use a neutral oil with high smoke point and neutral flavor, like canola oil and vegetable oil.
Water (optional) – If you prefer a saucy dish, you can add a few tablespoons of water at the end of cooking. If you prefer a dry stir-fry, just follow the recipe.
Red chilies (optional) – For extra spice, add red chili peppers. I mostly use Thai jinda or bird’s eye chilies, which are rather spicy. You can choose a milder type or remove the seeds if needed.

Cooking instructions

Prepared vegetables on a wooden background.

Step 1: Chop the yard-long beans and Thai eggplants into pieces suitable for a single bite, and thinly slice the red chilies. Manually tear the kaffir lime leaves in half. Then, cut your chosen protein into thin slices.

Step 2: Place a large wok or skillet on the stove over medium heat. Preheat oil and follow up with the red curry paste. Sauté the curry paste for about 20–30 seconds until fragrant.

Pork fried with red curry paste in a wok.

Step 3: Add bacon or your choice of protein and continue to stir-fry until it’s thoroughly cooked.

Top-down view of a wok with stir-fried bacon, red curry paste, and sauces and seasonings.

Step 4: Add your sauces and seasonings – fish sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white sugar. Stir everything together for about a minute.

Top-down view of stir-fried pad prik king in a wok.

Step 5: Add sliced vegetables: long beans, Thai eggplants, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies. Continue to stir-fry and mix everything until the vegetables reach your preferred level of tenderness. Once done, serve the dish immediately. Enjoy!

Kitchenware

Cutting board and a sharp knife
Measuring spoons and cups
Spatula or stirring spoon
Wok or large skillet

Pad prik recipe customization options

Vegetarian: For a vegetarian option, omit the pork and use a vegetarian fish sauce alternative.

Vegetables: Feel free to add more stir-fry vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and bamboo shoots.

Proteins: Swap the pork belly for chicken breasts or thighs, beef, extra firm tofu, and even seafood like shrimp or squid.

Tamari: If you’re gluten-free, tamari is a great substitute for soy sauce.

Green curry stir-fry: Try my green curry chicken stir-fry for a delicious variation with Thai green curry paste!

How to serve pork red curry stir-fry

Pad prik gaeng is typically served with a side of steamed jasmine rice. It’s perfect for tempering the heat. In the Northeast of Thailand, Isan, Thai sticky rice is the preferred rice choice – worth a try! Feel free to pair it with one of my refreshing drinks like green Thai tea and cha manao.

Storing and reheating

Let any leftovers cool down to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. Store it in your fridge for a maximum of 2–3 days.

Reheating: Reheat in a wok or skillet over medium heat and stir-fry until it’s hot. Alternatively, you can use a microwave.

Authentic Thai stir-fry recipes

Pad kra pao (ground pork and holy basil)
Authentic chicken pad Thai
Fried rice with leftover rice
Thai ginger chicken
Kuay teow kua gai
Khao pad krapow

Loved reading this pad prik king recipe? Please make my day by dropping a star rating and/or a comment below! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.