What’s For Tea, Mum?

Winter was getting to me, and I felt I needed something to spice up my life.  So I looked thru cookbooks, my pantry and came up with this dish.  I call it my “Thai” version because it uses ingredients from my Thai shelf.  (I made this for me (and I was really hungry) but you can adjust your quantities to serve however many you want.)  This dish also does well without the chicken and with additional veggies.  Or you can use shrimp instead of the chicken.  

2 oz bean threads

olive oil infused with hot peppers (or whatever oil you generally use)

1 chicken breast, cut into thin strips and then into pieces about 1″ long  (left over is perfect for this dish)

2 cloves garlic, diced

fresh ginger, grated (I used about a 3/4″ cube)

1 heaped teaspoon chili sauce (see photo below, but use what you like - and adjust the amount to suit your taste)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup lime juice (plus a little more)

1 teaspoon fish sauce (more or less to your taste - or sub soy sauce)

1 teaspoon raw sugar (or light brown sugar)

1 small carrot (diced or grated)

5 green onions, chopped into about 1″ pieces (whites and greens)

cilantro - about a cup (not packed) - chopped

First put your bean threads in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Leave sit for 10 minutes, then drain and cover with cold water.  After a few seconds, drain.

Heat oil in your pan (I like to use a wok) and add the diced chicken.  Cook until browned and then move the chicken up the sides of the wok (so they don’t continue to cook).  

Add the garlic, ginger,  and chili paste and cook for about a minute - just long enough for them to release their smells and infuse the oil.  

Add the water, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce.  Cook until the sugar dissolves.  

Now add the carrot, spring onions, and bean threads.  Bring the chicken down from the sides of the walk and mix all together.  

Turn off the heat, add the cilantro and mix well.  Taste - and if you need a bit more sharpness add additional lime juice.

Pour into a plate and enjoy!!

This is the chili paste I use: