PAD KEE MAO - VEGETARIAN THAI DRUNKEN NOODLES

INGREDIENTS:  Serves 2

•    3½ ounces dried Thai-style rice noodles, wide (such as Chantaboon Rice Noodles)
•    2 cloves garlic, minced
•    ½ teaspoon thick soy sauce*
•    1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce* (Veg) Use extra tsp. thick soy sauce
•    1 teaspoon Fish sauce*(Veg) Omit the fish sauce but lose the flavor it adds
•    1 teaspoon sugar
•    4½ teaspoons olive oil
•    2 cloves garlic, minced
•    ¼ cup red bell pepper coarsely chopped or cut into 1 inch strips
•    1 serrano pepper, minced, or more to taste * can use 1 tsp. Sriracha Sauce instead
•    1 cup very firm tofu cut into ¼ x ¼ inch thick strips about 1-2 inchs long
•    30 fresh basil leaves, chopped, 
•    1 teaspoon thick soy sauce*
•    1 teaspoon white sugar
•    1 teaspoon salt
•    ½ cup bean sprouts

DIRECTIONS:

1.   Place the dry rice noodles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and let soak until white and softened,
      about 1 hour. Drain the noodles, and set aside.

2.   Heat 1½ teaspoons of olive oil in a wok or large skillet over low heat, and cook and stir 2 minced
      garlic cloves until brown and beginning to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the soaked noodles, ½
      teaspoon of thick soy sauce, oyster sauce*,  fish sauce* and 1 teaspoon of sugar, and cook and stir
      until the noodles have absorbed the soy sauce and turned brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the
      noodles from the skillet.

3.   Heat 1½ teaspoons of olive oil in the wok over low heat; stir in the remaining 2
      minced garlic cloves, and cook until brown and beginning to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to
      medium-high, and stir in the tofu,  serrano pepper, basil, 1 teaspoon thick soy sauce, 1 teaspoon
      sugar, and salt. Cook and stir until the tofu is just beginning to brown , about 5 minutes.

4.  Add the remaining 1½ teaspoons oil to the wok and stir-fry your choice of vegetable.  2-4 minutes
     depending on the vegetable choice. Remove the vegetables and set aside.

5.  Return the noodles to the wok, add the tofu and stir in the bean sprouts.  Cook and stir until heated
     through, about 2-3 more minutes.  Add the cooked vegetable to the top and serve.


*COOKS NOTE*
Some popular brands of Thai sauces available in supermarkets and Asian stores. (Veg) look at ingredients on bottle.
Thick, Sweet Soy SauceFish SauceOyster Sauce


Sriracha Pepper SauceSub for Serrano Chili