Thai Beef and Rice Noodle Stir-Fry with Snow Peas

This is Asian-style fast food!  Fresh, simple ingredients thrown together and ready to eat in 20 minutes!  Snow peas provide good to very good amounts of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and protein.  Snow peas and other green peas are one of the important foods to include in your diet if you feel fatigued and sluggish.  They provide nutrients that help support the energy-producing cells and systems of the body.  Rice noodles are most commonly used in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia, and are available fresh, frozen, or dried, in various shapes and thicknesses.  Noodles made made from brown rice flour is available in some grocery stores and in health food stores.  This is an alternative to wheat flour-based noodles for those who are allergic to wheat or gluten.

Serves 4
recipe from Delicious magazine
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200g dried rice noodles
350g lean beef stir-fry strips
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
200g snow peas, trimmed
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.  Drain well and set aside.  Meanwhile, place beef and 1 tablespoon chili sauce in a bowl and toss to coat.  Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat.  In 2 batches, stir-fry beef, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute or until beef is browned.  Remove from the pan, then set aside.

Wipe pan clean and return to medium-high heat.  Add snow peas, spring onion and 2 tablespoons water and stir-fry for 1 minute or until peas are tender crisp.  Return beef mixture to pan with any juices.  Add the noodles, fish sauce, lime juice ad remaining sweet chili sauce and stir-fry a further 1 minute or until heated through.  Stir in basil leaves, divide among bowls and serve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  Thai basil tends to have a smaller leaf (with a serrated edge) than regular Italian basil and it will have a slight anise aroma when you rub the leaf between your fingers.  If you can’t find Thai basil you can always use Italian basil.