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Finished thai pumpkin stir fry (pad fak tong)
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Authentic Thai pumpkin stir fry (pad fak tong)

Stir fried pumpkin and egg with Thai basil
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 2 people (as a side)
Author: Will Helliwell

Ingredients

  • 1 hand-sized piece pumpkin or squash (see ‘ingredient notes’ for varieties you can use and a photo showing the size of the piece I used).
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • About half a large wineglass of water
  • Half tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 handful (50g) Thai basil - a handful (optional - see note)

Instructions

Preparation:

  • Deseed the pumpkin. Remove the skin if the variety you are using has inedible skin or if there are any unappetising blotches. Cut the pumpkin into thin slices. See 'cooking notes' if you need more guidance or a photo.
  • Peel your garlic and roughly mash it Thai-style in a pestle and mortar (if you don’t have one, then you can just thinly slice the cloves).
  • If using Thai basil, pick the leaves from the stalk, wash and set aside.
  • Lay out remaining ingredients within arm’s reach of the wok so that they are ready to add during the cooking stage.

Cooking:

  • Add the vegetable oil to the wok and place over the highest heat possible.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds.
    5 cloves of crushed garlic frying in oil in wok for pad fak tong
  • Add the slices of pumpkin and coat in the oil and garlic. Stir fry for 20 seconds.
  • Add water until most of the pumpkin slices are half-submerged (judge this by eye rather than religiously adding half a wineglass). This is not an exact science (see 'cooking notes' for detailed guidance), but it is best to add too little rather than too much at this stage, as you can always top it up if it is getting too dry at any point. Also add the fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar.
    Pumpkin cooking in liquid in wok showing desired level (half of pumpkin submerged) for cooking thai pumpkin stir fry
  • Keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is nearly soft enough to eat. To test this you can either eat a piece (my favourite method) or poke with your cooking spoon - if it easily goes through a piece of pumpkin then it is cooked. The amount of time it takes will depend on your wok and the size of your pumpkin slices. For thin slices it will probably be 1-2 minutes cooking in total. Remember to top up with a splash of water if it is getting too dry.
  • Once the pumpkin is nearly cooked, you are ready to add the egg. Make a well in the centre of the pumpkin with your spoon and crack it in. Break the yolk and slightly scramble with the spoon.
    Egg just cracked into pad fak tong cooking liquid beginning to turn opaque and ready to be scrambled
  • Cook until the bottom of the egg is turning opaque (20 seconds or so, around about the point in the above picture). Then stir the whole dish so that egg is mixed throughout.
  • If you are using Thai basil then throw in at this point.
  • Once the egg is cooked (a matter of seconds after the final stir) then the dish is done. Give it one final taste to make sure the pumpkin is cooked and the seasoning is correct. If there is not enough moisture, you can also add a splash more water.
  • Tip onto a serving plate.