Spaghetti Pad Kee Mao

Ingredients

• 350 g spaghetti
• 300 g Chinese broccoli, bias sliced
• 300 g shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 tbs canola oil
• 1 can baby corn, bias sliced
• 2 spur chili, bias sliced (Italian Sweet Pepper, Mild Anaheim, or Poblano are good substitutes)
• 20 g Thai chili
• 20 g garlic cloves
• 1 tbs fingerroot (Rhizome)
• 2 tbs oyster sauce
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar (palm sugar, if you have it)
• 1 tbs dark soy sauce
• 150 g C basil (holy basil, if you can find it)

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, but not quite al dente. Drain and set aside with about 1C of the pasta water.
2. If using shrimp, marinate with 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp rice wine, and ½ tsp sugar
3. Pound garlic, chili, and fingerroot into a rough paste and set aside
4. If using ground beef as protein, brown that first and drain in a mesh sieve
5. Heat wok until very hot, add the garlic-chili paste and fry until fragrant. Add the vegetables and the protein, and half the sauce. If it's still a little dry, add some pasta water.
6. Add the pasta, the rest of the sauce, the sugar, and dark soy sauce.
7. Turn the pasta and reduce to let the pasta absorb the sauce. When most of the sauce has been absorbed, cut the heat and add the basil. Turn with tongs to wilt the basil and finish with white pepper

Timeline

1. Defrost and peel shrimp, marinate in MSG, white pepper, sugar, and rice wine
2. Boil water for spaghetti, cook for 60% of the recommended time (save 1C pasta water)
3. Boil water for steaming the broccoli, then steam 5 minutes
4. Slice the baby corn
5. Slice the banana pepper
6. Pick basil leaves from stems
7. Peel garlic and add garlic, Thai peppers (3 + 3) and finger root to FP and process
8. Heat the wok
9. Make sauce mix (add 1 tsp sugar + 1 tsp black soy sauce)
10. Fry garlic paste
11. Add broccoli and shrimp + some of the sauce and toss
12. Add pasta, the banana pepper, and the remaining sauce, toss to heat through and season the pasta and broccoli
13. Remove from heat, stir in basil, finish with white pepper, test for seasoning, and serve

Chef's Notes

• Vegetable and protein quantities are approximate - when in doubt, use more
• Protein alternatives include duck, chicken, squid, mussels, Marisco mix, and tofu. If using tofu, cube and fry to maintain structural integrity later.
• If using broccoli, steam for 5 minutes before adding them – reduces cooking time and allows them to soak up more of the flavor