RECIPE OF THE MONTH: DRUNKEN NOODLES

Pad Kee Mao is another quick and easy dish to make. The two common noodle choices are fresh wide rice noodles and spaghetti.

main ingredient is hot basil. You can stir-fry the noodles with any kind of meat that you like. The word Kee Mao regarding food means very hot and spicy. In Thailand, we do not substitute chili with bell peppers and add chili powder like in America.

It is important to use hot basil and not other kinds of basil. Some Thai restaurants in America use Sweet basil or omit the basil. In other words, without hot basil, this dish would not be drunken noodles prepared in the Thai way.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups Fresh wide rice noodles

• 3/4 cup Chicken

• 2 strings Fresh peppercorns

• 1/2 cup Yellow onion (about half)

• 1 Medium size tomato

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Chopped garlic

• 5-10 Thai chilies

• 1 1/2 cups Packed hot basil leaves

• 1 teaspoon Sugar

• 2 tablespoons Fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon Thai sweet black soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil

PREPARATION

1. If the fresh wide rice noodles are not pre-cut, cut them into 3/4″ wide strips. Separate the noodles by peeling them apart one at a time. Set aside.

2. Clean chicken and slice into thin slice pieces.

3. Peel off garlic skin. Clean and chop the garlic.

4. Remove stem from each chili. Clean and cut the chili into half.

5. Pick off the leaves of hot basil. Clean and set aside.

6. Peel off onion skin. Slice into 1/8″ thick pieces.

7. Clean and cut tomato into bite size wedges.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a stone mortar, crush the garlic and chili together. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan or a wok. On medium-high heat, add crushed garlic and chili, and green peppercorns in the pan. Keep stirring until fragrant, take care not to burn.

3. Add onion and chicken. Keep stirring until chicken is cooked.

4. Add noodles. If the pan gets too dry, sprinkle noodles with water. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

5. Add Thai sweet black soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar. Stir well to mix.

6. Add hot basil. Stir until basil is wilted. Then add tomato. Stir for about 1 minute or less.

7. Remove from heat. Serve on plate.