Prawn Pad Kee Mao
Sticky, sweet, chewy drunken noodles with prawns and whatever ragtag veg is on hand - preparation is key here, otherwise you may as well make soupy gravy noodles.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes (plus 30 minutes noodle soaking)
Cook time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pack dry wide rice noodles aprox 375gm
2 tbsp peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
12-16 raw prawns, peeled, tail on
1 tsp grated ginger
3-4 stems young gai laan, stems and leaves finely sliced on a diagonal into 4cm lengths
2-3 stalks young celery, stems and leaves finely sliced on a diagonal into 4cm lengths
2 spring onions, cut into 4cm julienne
2 handfuls of picked basil leaves - ideally thai and holy to be real, but I had regular on hand
peanuts and lime, to serve
For the sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp kecap manis
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp sesame oil
METHOD
Preparation is key here... otherwise you may as well make soup.
Soak the noodles, covered in plenty of cold water, half an hour before you begin.
Prep - peel, wash, chop and pick all the vegetables.
In a large wok over high temp, heat the oil until shimmering.
Add in the garlic and chilli and stir quickly until beginning to turn golden - 1 minute.
Add in the prawns and toss well, then top with the celery, spring onions, gai laan and ginger.
Toss this again so everything begins to soften - 2 minutes.
Add the cold water softened noodles over the soft veg - a little bit of excess water on these is fine, it helps wilt everything.
Shake and toss well, then allow to fry without stirring too much for 5 minutes.
Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then add three quarters of it to the noodles along with the basil and toss to coat and combine.
Once everything is wilted, soft and hot - about 3 minutes - serve and sprinkle with peanuts, a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of the extra sauce.
This is sticky, sweet, chewy and delicious. The best bit is having a bag of aussie prawns stashed in the freezer for this very spontaneous moment.
HINTS
All the veg can be ragtag whatever is on hand - it's especially good for wilting things!
Please don't tell the purists, but no one dies if you sub out thai and holy basil for the standard garden variety we're used to. Aside from a few taste buds of course, but you're bound to get a few injuries on the road to perfection aren't you!
Keep a bag of aussie prawns in the freezer and this becomes a genuinely spontaneous dinner.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 4 - guide only):
Energy: 8400 kJ (2005 cal)
Protein: 85 g
Fat: 60 g
Saturated fat: 10 g
Carbohydrate: 280 g
Sugars: 45 g
Fibre: 15 g
Sodium: 5600 mg
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.