Pad kaphrao contest seeks true taste of Thailand’s national dish

Tourism body tries to nail down best recipe for a dish popular at home but often overshadowed abroad

Pad kaphrao has a strong claim to be Thailand's most loved dish. The meal - holy basil fried with minced meat - is a quick and easy staple. It is a regular among street vendors whose woks fill the air with a distinctive, fiery aroma, and on the menus of high-end restaurants and in the ready-made sections of convenience stores.

But abroad it is overshadowed by the likes of pad thai and green curry - and when it does feature on menus, the ingredients tend to differ from those used in Thailand.