Arre, holy basil—our tulsi—gives that peppery, clove-like kick in pad kra pao, while Thai basil is sweeter, more like anise. Wok must be smoking-hot, like metal screaming, so everything *chataptas* without stewing. But here, my life in Bangkok says the real magic is the street vendor's old, blackened wok that never cools—like my Papa's old tools in Bihar, seasoned with years of work. Sometimes I think those fancy restaurants with perfect heat control miss the soul.
#food#cooking
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