Pad Kee Mao (Spicy Chicken and Rice Noodles)

It is official - the last of the Thai basil is gone. The cool weather was wreaking havoc on it so I used it all up in this recipe and we are done until spring.

How sad is that?

The literal translation of Pad Kee Mao is “Drunken Noodles” because the theory is that these spicy noodles are perfectly accompanied with an ice cold beer and also that they are a great cure for hangover. I can not confirm that either of these is true -we enjoyed this dish with a delicious reisling.

There are all sorts of variations of Pad Kee Mao in Thailand and even more in the western world. In Thailand the two constants are chicken and Thai Basil, and quite often it came with baby corn as well, though from my research I couldn’t confirm that this was a “must have” in this dish. Thai Basil is different to ordinary sweet / Italian basil, it has a mild aniseed and mint flavour. Die-hard Thai purists will tell you that you must use Thai Basil or Thai Holy Basil to make this recipe, otherwise don’t bother. I say that it’s not a make or break. While you can definitely taste the difference if you eat the leaves plain, once stir fried with the other ingredients and the sauce, I bet most people wouldn’t be able to tell whether it’s ordinary or Thai Basil.

I made this for dinner on Friday and LOVED it! Yes, it was THAT good.

Pad Kee Mao (Spicy Chicken and Rice Noodles)

• 1 (14-ounce) package wide rice noodles
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 medium red or green bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 medium jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves

Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for about 15 minutes, until loose and pliable but not soft; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, combine oyster sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice in a medium nonreactive bowl, mix well, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large (12-inch) frying pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, add shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until softened but not brown. Add ground chicken and break into small pieces. Cook until chicken is white and almost cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Add bell peppers and stir-fry just until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Push chicken mixture to one side of the pan and add eggs to the center. Scramble with a spatula until eggs are set and don’t run, about 1 minute. Push eggs to the side and add reserved sauce mixture. Once the sauce is boiling, add the drained noodles and toss to coat. Remove from heat, add jalapeños and basil, and toss to combine; serve immediately.

Comments

[sandi]

I have to remember this!