Recipe - Pad Ped Mu (Stir Fried Pork)

1 pound Belly pork; cut into small
dice.
2 cup Long beans; cut into 1"
pieces
One half cup Prik yuat (green Thai bell
peppers); cut or sliced up
One half cup Prik yuat daeng (red Thai
bell peppers); cut or sliced up
3 tablespoon Red curry paste
3 tablespoon Fish sauce
1 tablespoon Nam prik pao (roasted chilis
in oil)
1 tablespoon Garlic; minced
1 tablespoon [palm] sugar
1 tablespoon Prik ki nu (green birdseye
chilis); thinly cut or sliced up
1 teaspoon Black pepper; freshly ground

From: "Colonel I.F.K. Philpott" colonel@korat1.vukorat.ac.th

Date: Thu, 04 Jul 1996 11:21:52 0700
This dish is made with belly pork. There are a number of reasons for this:
on the pragmatic level the Thais tend to use all of an animal, and this is
a way of using the rather fatty belly pork. Secondly the style of cooking
means that the dish is cooked in the pork fat itself, which enhances the
flavor, and thirdly, the fatty meat absorbs the additional flavors and so
tastes better.

My wife prepared this for our dinner last night, and cooked it in an iron
wok, as always. The pork tends to stick, and so it is quite a difficult job
cleaning up afterwards. Consequently I am going to suggest that you use a
nonstick stir fry pan or sautee pan for this dish if available. The wok or
pan should be quite hot, so as to sear the pork and render the fat quickly.
If the pan is too cold it will tend to become leathery and "chewy".

My recipe notes indicate that the cut or sliced up chilis are 'optional'. You can
also reduce the amount of red curry paste used quite substantially without
too much adverse affect on the authenticity of the dish.

The cut or sliced up prik yuat are a Thai variety which is hard to find outside
Thailand. Known as the Thai Bell Pepper, you could easily substitute
ordinary bell peppers for this ingredient.

The long beans used in Thailand are known as tua phak yao. I have seen
these sold in the West as "Yak's Tails". If unavailable ordinary green long
beans can be used.

Method: Heat a wok (see above), and then add the belly pork and stir fry
until it turns brown, and the fat crispens and reduces. If it becomes too
dry add a very small amount of peanut oil.

Add the curry paste, and stir fry to combine, then add the fish sauce,
chili oil, garlic, sugar, chilis and pepper, and stir fry for about two
minutes stirring continuously to combine the flavors and mix well.

Add the bell peppers and stir fry until they just begin to soften, then add
the long beans and stir fry until heated through (about 30 seconds).

Serve with steamed white [jasmine] rice.

CHILEHEADS DIGEST V3 #033

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