Step 1: soak the rice noodles
The noodles should be thicker-cut rice noodles, or use a box of Pad Thai noodles. Pretty much all grocery stores should carry one or the other. Soak the noodles just as the box states. But I like to drain them for around 6 minutes to ensure they don’t get soggy while cooking. A soggy noodle is the worst!
Step 2: make the sauce
It’s a pretty simple mix of tamari, Thai chili sauce, fish sauce (don’t skip), rice vinegar, black pepper, and chilies. And if your grocery store carries it, I love to add lemongrass or lemongrass paste too. For the Thai chili sauce, I usually make my own at home. I shared the recipe below! But I also love the brand Whole Foods and Amazon carry too, it’s the Grandma’s Sweet Thai Chili Sauce.
Step 3: cook the beef + peppers
And now we can cook! Cook the beef and peppers together in a hot skillet. Use thinly sliced flank steak here, and give it a good sear.
Next, add the butter, toss in a shallot, chopped garlic, and pickled ginger. Cook until the garlic turns golden. Then, toss everything up with the noodles and the sauce. Simmer just a few minutes to thicken the sauce until it coats the beef and noodles. At this point, you should remove the noodles from the heat to ensure the noodles do not get overcooked. Add lots of fresh Thai basil and or cilantro, then plenty of green onions!
Step 4: the garlicky sesame seeds
Ok, last thing, toast a clove of garlic with sesame seeds until the mix is crunchy. Serve each bowl of noodles topped with Thai basil, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and the garlic crunch. All together it’s so delicious! And I really appreciate all the color – best kind of recipe! These noodles are best served right away, but the leftovers are great for lunch the following day too. I like to add a touch of soy sauce and butter when enjoying the leftovers. It just brings them back to life a bit more. I just love Thai food and Thai-inspired food!!
