Saturday, August 24, 2013

Pork Raad Nah with Crispy Noodle


The other day the hubby and I went to lunch at Thai restaurant, and the hubby wanted to order Raad Nah (Thai style noodle with gravy), which he did. He said that he liked the dish and was wondering if I could make it at home. Of course, I can make it at home. It is one of the easiest dishes anyone could make as long as you have all the not-so-required ingredients at home.

Thai Radd Nah with gravy usually uses fresh wide rice noodle which is the same type of noodle for making Pad See Ew. The noodles can easily be found at any Asian markets around L.A. However, don’t sweat small stuff. Any kind of noodle like rice noodle, egg noodle, instant noodle, spaghetti, linguini, or angel hair pasta can also be used to make this dish as well. The only thing you will be missed if you did not use the rice noodle is the aroma and the smoky flavor since the noodle has be cooked with dark soy sauce first before eaten with the gravy. Why I have to be specific with only rice noodle? You might ask. Because other types of noodles would not have the same result when cooked with dark soy sauce first. The smoky flavor that is.



 
But like I said – don’t sweat small stuff – because the gravy is the most important part of the dish anyway. And noodles without gravy wouldn’t be Raad Nah, would it?  

So, today I use fresh egg noodles which I’ve turned them to crispy noodle by frying them first. You don’t have to, but the crispy fried noodle makes the dish tastier, and it just simply replace the missing smoky flavor of rice noodles with soy sauce. 

   
 
As for the gravy, there is nothing difficult about that and don’t let the long list in the ingredients fool you, especially, the fermented soy bean that might sound odd. Fermented soy bean is very important to the dish, however. I’d say it is required but not necessary. It’s salty with smoky flavor that lends a distinctive flavor to the dish. But if you can find it, just skip it. It’s not a big deal but just less authentic, that’s all! Thai Raad Nah normally use Gailan or Chinese broccoli only for the dish, but you can use any vegetable you like as well as any kind of meat that you prefer.












Step 1. Fry noodles

4 oz. fresh egg noodle
1-2 cups vegetable oil for frying

: add vegetable oil in a deep frying pan and set over medium-low heat
: when the oil gets hot, fry the noodle into 3-4 batches, about one little handful at a time, and set them on the paper towel to absorb the excess oil, and set aside.



Fermented Soy Bean
 
 
marinade pork with oyster sauce 


Step 2. Make the gravy

16 oz. pork meat, sliced
1 cup washed snow peas
1 cup sliced shitake mushroom
1 cup sliced carrot
3 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. fermented soy bean - optional
1/2 tbsp. sugar
2 cups chicken broth or water
Ground white pepper
2 tbsp. vegetable/canola oil
3 tbsp. corn starch
3 tbsp. water

***Optional condiments to serve with as needed: dried red chili flakes, vinegar, fish sauce, and sugar

How to:

- marinade the pork meat with oyster sauce for at least 10-15 minutes
- stir 3 tablespoon of water with corn starch and set aside.
- add the oil into the sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add garlic and stir until it fragrant, and then add pork meat and mushroom and cook for 5 minutes
- add 2 cups of chicken broth or water into to sauté pan followed by carrot and snow peas and seasoning with sugar, light soy sauce, and fermented soy bean (if used). Let it cook for another 12-15 minutes.
- when it’s thoroughly cooked, turn off the heat and ladle the gravy over the crispy fried noodle with a sprinkle of ground white pepper along with additional condiments as needed


Enjoy!
 
^__^
 


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