Experience the zest of Thailand in your kitchen in just 30 minutes with our Thai Pork and Green Beans. This Pad Prik King recipe combines a spicy kick with mouth-watering sauce, perfect to mingle with your favorite rice.
The first time I tried Thai food, I ordered chicken with cashew nuts, and it has been my absolute favorite dish in the world ever since.
In all seriousness, it took me years to order something different. I finally got brave one night at dinner and decided to order something different. I went with Pad Prik King, also known as chicken with spicy green beans, and it was divine. Prik king itself is actually a type of curry, like panang or massaman.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love Thai Pork and Green Beans
- This dish offers a perfect balance of spicy and savory taste.
- Its vibrant, green beans add a crunchy texture, providing a delightful contrast to the tender chicken.
- This Thai Pork and Green Beans is versatile. It is easily adaptable with different protein options like pork, beef, or tofu for vegetarians.
Recipe Ingredients
- Prik King Curry Paste: Offers a complex blend of spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors.
- Fish Sauce: This ingredient adds a unique umami flavor, bringing depth and saltiness to the dish.
- Sesame Oil: This oil imparts a nutty, aromatic flavor and adds depth and a hint of richness.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Garnish Options: Enhance your Thai Pork and Green Beans with garnishes like fresh Thai basil or cilantro for a fragrant touch, thinly sliced red chilies for extra heat, lime wedges for a zesty kick, and crushed peanuts for a crunchy, nutty finish.
- Meat Variations: Consider chicken thighs for tenderness, thinly sliced flank steak for a hearty flavor, ground pork or minced pork for a finer texture, or firm tofu as a vegetarian option.
How to Make Thai Pork and Green Beans
Step #1: Bring a pot of water to a boil and toss in your green beans. Let them cook for about 3 minutes, then strain and rinse with cold water.
Step #2: Heat the sesame and grapeseed oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add in the curry paste and stir for 2-3 minutes until the paste is well combined with the oil. Use the back of a wooden spoon to work the two together.
Step #3: Turn the heat up to medium high heat and add the pork strips. Stir the pork around to evenly coat in curry paste for a minute or two, then add in the broth, fish sauce, wild lime leaves (if using), and palm sugar. Stir well to combine.
Step #4: Add the green beans to the pan and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Step #5: Serve with lots of jasmine rice!
Expert Tips
- Optimal Pork Texture: For tender pork, ensure it’s very thinly sliced and just cooked through. Overcooking can make it tough, so keep an eye on it once you add it to the hot skillet.
- Green Bean Crunch: To retain the crunch and vibrant color of green beans, blanch them briefly and then immerse them in cold water before adding them to the skillet. This process, known as “shocking,” stops the cooking process and preserves its texture and color.
- Sauté Efficiency: When sautéing the green beans with the pork and curry mixture, keep the heat steady and stir frequently. This ensures even cooking and perfect integration of flavors. It also prevents any ingredients from burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bell peppers like green or red bell pepper, snap peas, eggplant, broccoli, and baby corn are excellent alternatives or additions.
White rice like jasmine rice is an excellent choice for its fragrant aroma and fluffy texture. Basmati rice is a good alternative with a nutty flavor. For health-conscious diners, brown rice provides a chewy, nutty option. Sticky rice is great for soaking up the sauce, and coconut rice adds a subtle sweetness
Storage Info
Store any leftovers of the Thai Pork and Green Beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they should remain good for up to 3-4 days. While freezing is an option, be aware that the texture of the green beans may change when thawed.
For reheating, you can gently warm the dish in a skillet over medium heat, adding a little water or broth if it appears dry. Alternatively, you can reheat using a microwave but be sure to cover the dish and stir it halfway through.
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Thai Pork and Green Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. green beans - trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed - or vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsp. prik king curry paste - or use any red curry paste, such as panang, massaman, or regular “red”
- 1 lb. boneless pork loin - very thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
- 1/2 c. fat free chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp. palm sugar - or brown sugar
- 4 wild lime leaves* - halved (or serve with lime wedges)
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and toss in your green beans. Let them cook for about 3 minutes, then strain and rinse with cold water.
- Heat the sesame and grapeseed oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add in the curry paste and stir for 2-3 minutes until the paste is well combined with the oil. Use the back of a wooden spoon to work the two together.
- Turn the heat up to medium high heat and add the pork strips. Stir the pork around to evenly coat in curry paste for a minute or two, then add in the broth, fish sauce, wild lime leaves (if using), and palm sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Add the green beans to the pan and sauté for another 3 minutes.
- Serve with lots of jasmine rice!
NOTES
Nutrition
The green beans stayed perfectly crisp, and the sauce is amazing over rice.
It was very oily. I used slightly less meat and less fish oil and less sesame oil and it was very very oily! Is that normal? It was super tastey however!!! So far the best prik king I’ve had.
Mandy
Hi, Mandy! Prik King does typically have a good amount of oil in it. If it was too oily for your taste, I’d suggest increasing the amount of meat, or slightly decreasing the amount of oil. Also, did you use fish oil instead of fish sauce? That may have made a difference 🙂