Spring Vegetable Pad Kee Mao

(Spicy Thai Noodle Stir-Fry)

Time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4 Nature: Warm | Flavor: Sour, Acrid

Ingredients

  • 4 TBL fish sauce
  • 2 TBL dark, sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)*
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 bird's eye chilis
  • 3 TBL vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 1 pound pork, ground
  • 1/2 small red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1 in pieces
  • 1 cup asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2 in pieces
  • 12 oz wide rice noodles*
  • 2 handfuls fresh Thai basil* leaves, torn

*These ingredients are best found at an Asian grocery store, but if you can't find the sweet soy sauce, add 1–2 TBL of sugar to your sauce mixture. A classic wide egg noodle used for stroganoff-type dishes would be a reasonable substitute for the wide rice noodle. Italian basil will work too for Thai basil, but it will have a different vibe. Feel inspired by what you have, not limited by what you don't.

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the rice noodles using package directions. Strain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch to stop cooking and prevent sticking. Set aside to drain.

  2. Whisk together fish sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar and set aside. Roughly chop garlic and chilis together.

  3. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high. When hot add the oil, chopped garlic and chilis, and the onion. Cook stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

  4. Add pork and cook while stirring to break the meat into small pieces until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, asparagus, and garlic scapes, and a splash of sauce. Continue to cook an additional 5 minutes or until the asparagus are tender.

  5. Add cooked noodles and most of the sauce, reserving a TBL or two to add if needed. Stir mixture to warm noodles and coat thoroughly in sauce. Add basil leaves, toss, and serve immediately. Put out reserved sauce for diners who want even more salty sour flavor.

Modifications

  1. Use ground chicken in place of pork or even crumbled firm tofu for a veggie option.
  2. Garlic scapes and asparagus are great early spring vegetables but use what you can find: zucchini, broccoli, snow peas, etc.
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