Stir-Fried Ginger Beef (Nua Pad King)

In Thai cooking, ginger isn’t just a background note. In Nua Pad King, it’s the headliner.

A full half cup of thinly sliced fresh ginger hits the wok alongside seared sirloin strips, and the result is this warm, sharp, almost peppery heat that’s completely different from chili spice.

Fish sauce and oyster sauce build the salty-sweet backbone, while sliced bell peppers and onion go in at the very end, just long enough to soften but keep their crunch.

Spoon it over steaming rice and you’ve got an authentic Thai dinner for two that comes together faster than you can scroll through a delivery app.

Pro Tips

• Slice the ginger paper-thin. Thick chunks will overpower the dish. You want wispy slices that melt into the sauce, not ginger you have to chew through.
• Use sirloin and cut against the grain into thin strips. This keeps the beef tender even with the quick, high-heat cooking.
• Don’t stir the beef constantly when it first hits the wok. Let it sit for 30 seconds to develop some color before tossing.
• Cover and rest off the heat for the final two minutes. This gently steams the peppers and onion without overcooking the beef.