Pad Kua Kai noodles with sweet sauce, green onion and cilantro
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
1 large or 2 medium shallots, skins removed
2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into a few pieces
1 inch fresh galanga root, cut into 4 pieces
2 Tablespoons dried shrimp
2 Tablespoons toasted coconut
2 Tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 Tablespoons crunchy peanut butter OR 3 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts
1 cup palm sugar, chopped
14 ounce package gluten free wide rice stick noodles
5 ounces avocado oil, divided, or other high heat cooking oil of your choice
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
2 cups lettuce, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cups green onions, cut on the bias
few sprigs cilantro, for garnish
1. Make Sauce: In a food processor or blender, process shallots, ginger, galanga root, dried shrimp, toasted coconut, fish sauce and peanut butter until smooth, scraping down sides several times as needed. Place ground ingredients into a small saucepan, add palm sugar and 2 cups water, and bring to a boil. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often. You want to reduce to a medium thickness with about 2 cups of sauce. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool while you continue.
2. Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook rice stick noodles until a bit more than al dente, about 4-5 minutes. Watch closely as they can easily overcook and you end up with mushy noodles at the end.
3. Drain Noodles: When noodles are at the desired not-quite-done texture, drain in a colander under cold running water to cool them and stop them from cooking. Cut noodles a few times with clean kitchen scissors to shorten and ease eating, if desired. Set aside.
4. Cook Chicken: Heat wok and 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until smoking. Add chicken and stir fry, stirring often, until chicken is cooked nearly through. Add about a half cup of the sauce to wok and stir to coat chicken. Cook chicken a few more minutes over high heat until done. Pour chicken into a bowl and set aside.
5. Make Noodles: Return wok to heat, add remaining oil and bring to near smoking. Add onion and garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add noodles to pan and pour in about 1 cup of the sauce over noodles. Stir noodles to coat and cook about 4 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add Egg: Make a well in the center of the noodles and add the eggs to the well. Using the tip of your stirring utensil, gently stir the eggs for about 1 minute in the center of the wok until the start to scramble. Before eggs are completely cooked, toss the noodles and the eggs together, coating the noodles with the uncooked egg. Continue to stir constantly for another 2 minutes.
7. Finish & Serve: Add the lettuce, sliced green onions and the remaining half cup of sauce and toss to coat. Remove from heat immediately. Transfer to a large platter, garnished with fresh cilantro sprigs and serve. Enjoy!
