Fusion pasta is a glorious thing. Spicy pad kee mao (drunken noodles) gets its name because it’s a great weekend hangover cure, with its flavour and colour from the prawns and fresh Asian chillies and vegetables. Use spaghetti cooked al dente instead of traditional Thai noodles for extra carbs!
200g (2 oz) dried spaghetti
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 large mild chillies, sliced
3 small spicy chillies, sliced
1 cup sliced Asian greens
300g (10 oz) peeled and deveined prawns (shrimp)
¼ cup oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 cup holy basil leaves (if unavailable, use Thai basil or Italian basil)
Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Add garlic and chillies and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the prawns and stir-fry until almost cooked. Add the greens. Then toss through spaghetti and the pasta water. Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce and dark soy sauce. Keep tossing the pasta until the spaghetti absorbs the liquid and the sauce is thick and glossy. Toss through the basil.
Remove from heat and serve.
