This looks like a humble noodle dish, but the flavours of the basil, chilli and garlic come together to make a bowl of heaven. Use Thai holy basil if you can get it, but regular basil is fine as a substitute. You can make your own fresh rice noodles too, using Marion’s recipe.
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 birds’ eye chillies, roughly chopped
1 large yellow chilli, roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil or the rendered fat from the pork belly
200g (7 oz) skinless pork belly, sliced into thin strips
1 cup sliced Asian greens e.g. Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale, pak chok, bok choy
300g (10.5 oz) fresh rice noodles*
4 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 ½ tsp white sugar
1 heaped cup Thai holy basil*
Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and chillies to a rough paste.
Heat the oil or pork fat in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chilli paste and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the pork and stir-fry until almost cooked. Add the Asian greens and stir-fry for another 1 minute or until greens are tender and pork is cooked. Add the noodles, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. Stir-fry until well combined.
Turn the heat off and toss through the basil. Serve warm.
Notes:
– You can use Thai basil or regular Italian as a substitute for the Thai holy basil
– Cooked spaghetti, dried rice noodles or cooked egg noodles can be used here too.
