Recipe: Drunken Noodles

"R" and I both love Thai food, and this recipe peaked our interest right away.

Drunken Noodles with Pork (4 servings- 8 cups. Total time = 45 minutes)

Prepare:
8 oz. wide rice-stick noodles

Whisk:
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce

Heat:
1 Tablespoon peanut oil
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. minced Serrano chile
12 oz. pork tenderloin, trimmed, cubed, and seasoned with salt, black pepper, and sugar
2 cups sliced onions
1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch thick strips
8 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
1 carrot, bias sliced (we used baby carrots)
2 cups torn fresh Thai or sweet basil leaves, divided

Prepare rice noodles according to package directions; drain, rinse in cold water, and drain again.
Whisk together fish sauce, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. sugar, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce; set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high.
Add garlic and Serrano; stir-fry until fragrant (30 seconds).
Add pork and cook until brown, 2 minutes per side.
Add fish sauce mixture and stir-fry until sauce bubbles and thickens (about one minute).
Stir in onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, and carrot; stir-fry to soften slightly (2-3 minutes).
Add the rice noodles and gently stir until they absorb the sauce (1-2 minutes).
Add most of the basil and toss gently to wilt.
Garnish servings with remaining basil.

This recipe came from the December 2013 issue of Cuisine at Home magazine. It was a winner in our household, and the leftovers were just as good! We couldn't find wide rice noodles, but the Pad Thai rice noodles that we found at Giant Eagle worked just fine. We also added some peas for more color and to bulk up on vegetables. We'll be making this one again. Enjoy!