Spicy Fried Noodles with Shrimp

Name: Spicy Fried Noodles with Shrimp
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 9 Large shrimp shelled and cleaned; 4 Ramen noodle squares seasoning packet discarded or saved for another use; 2 2/3 cups Holy basil leaves leaves and flower tops; 9 ears Baby corn split into thin strips; 1 1/3 cups Green beans cut into 2-inch pieces; 7 slices Onion sliced thick; 7 Garlic, large cloves roughly ground with the chili; 5 Thai hot chilies to taste, roughly ground with the garlic; 5 1/3 tablespoons Oyster sauce; 5 1/3 teaspoons Light soy sauce; 2 2/3 teaspoons Dark soy sauce; 2 2/3 teaspoons Sugar; 2-3 tablespoons Vegetable oil

Pad Kraprow Ma Ma Goong

Instant ramen noodles stir-fried with shrimp, garlic, chili, and holy basil

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 5 min
Serves: 4
Heat: hot

This dish takes the punchy garlic, chili, and holy basil flavor of a classic Pad Kraprow stir-fry and applies it to instant ramen noodle squares instead of rice or rice noodles, making it a practical option anywhere fresh rice noodles are hard to find. The noodles get a brief par-boil to loosen them up, then a final high-heat fry to dry them out and pick up a little char, absorbing the garlicky, chili-laced sauce along the way. Holy basil, with its distinctly peppery, clove-like flavor, is what makes the dish taste like Pad Kraprow rather than a generic stir-fry — ordinary sweet basil doesn't deliver the same effect.

Ingredients

9 Large shrimp (shelled and cleaned)
4 Ramen noodle squares (seasoning packet discarded or saved for another use)
2 2/3 cups Holy basil leaves (leaves and flower tops)
9 ears Baby corn (split into thin strips)
1 1/3 cups Green beans (cut into 2-inch pieces)
7 slices Onion (sliced thick)
7 Garlic, large cloves (roughly ground with the chili)
5 Thai hot chilies (to taste, roughly ground with the garlic)
5 1/3 tablespoons Oyster sauce
5 1/3 teaspoons Light soy sauce
2 2/3 teaspoons Dark soy sauce
2 2/3 teaspoons Sugar
2-3 tablespoons Vegetable oil

Directions

Shell and clean the shrimp. Grind the garlic and chili together roughly. Pick the basil leaves and flower tops. Split the baby corn into thin strips, cut the beans into 2-inch pieces, and slice the onion.
Boil a big pot of water and cook the ramen squares just until they loosen up, about a minute. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking — they should stay a bit firm so they hold together when fried later. Drain well.
Heat the oil in a wok over low heat. Fry the garlic and chili lightly for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Lay the shrimp in the pan and fry lightly on both sides. Once they start to curl, add the sauces and sugar and stir well.
Once the shrimp are fully pink and curled, remove them to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion, green beans, and baby corn to the pan. Stir to coat in the sauce and fry lightly for about a minute, until hot and sticky.
Add a couple tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan and build a sauce. Cook until bubbly again.
Turn the heat to high and add the noodles. Stir and flip from the bottom until they absorb the liquid.
Keep frying over high heat, flipping often, until the noodles are dry, sticky, and starting to brown in spots.
Turn off the heat and toss in the basil, stirring until wilted and mixed through.
Return the shrimp to the pan and stir until warmed through again.
Serve on a large shared plate, arranging the shrimp, basil, and vegetables evenly. Garnish with fresh basil tops and a couple whole Thai hot chilies.

Notes

Rinse the par-boiled noodles in cool water and keep them a little firm before frying — fully soft noodles fall apart once they hit the hot pan and sauce.

Substitutions

Ground pork, sliced chicken or pork, or even canned mackerel can replace the shrimp. Holy basil (Bai Kraprow) is essential here for its peppery, clove-like flavor — ordinary Thai sweet basil tastes quite different and isn't a true substitute.