My Way --or the Thai Way
Thai food is very versatile, in addition to being good. I adapted a recipe for pork and basil over rice by substituting extra-wide rice noodles. The result is a one-dish meal.
You could even substitute tofu for the pork, if you prefer.
Simple pickled cucumbers round out the dinner, followed by fresh fruit for dessert.
You’ll find some of these ingredients handy when making other dishes.
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Thai Pork and Basil With Rice Noodles
Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Dark and sweet soy sauces, chile paste in soybean oil, Thai basil and extra-wide rice noodles are available at Asian markets.
Salt
2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
1 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons chile paste in soybean oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 (14-ounce) package extra-wide rice noodles
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped Thai basil
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the pork and cook, stirring, until the pork begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
Add the dark and sweet soy sauces, fish sauce, chile paste and onion and continue to cook until the onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until softened but still firm, about 4 minutes.
Drain the noodles and add them to the wok along with the basil. Cook, stirring, until well combined, about 1 minute.
4 servings. Each serving: 502 calories; 1,935 mg sodium; 88 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 30 grams protein; 2.69 grams fiber.
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Pickled Cucumbers
Active Work Time: 5 minutes
Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 small cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 to 2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
Combine the rice vinegar, cucumber, red onion and chiles in a bowl. Refrigerate until serving, 20 minutes.
4 servings. Each serving: 26 calories; 5 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.73 grams fiber.
MENU
Thai Pork and Basil With Rice Noodles
Pickled Cucumbers
Fresh Fruit
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STAPLES
Cucumber
Fish sauce
Garlic
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Oil
Red onion
White onion
Rice vinegar
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SHOPPING LIST
Chile paste in soybean oil
Fresh fruit
Ground pork
Rice noodles
Serrano chiles
Dark soy sauce
Sweet soy sauce
Thai basil
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COUNTDOWN
30 minutes before: Make pickled cucumbers.
25 minutes before: Bring water to boil.
15 minutes before: Cook garlic and chiles, add pork.
10 minutes before: Cook noodles.
5 minutes before: Finish pork.