Pork and Shrimp Rice Sticks

Most of the ingredients used for this recipe should be readily available at any Asian or Thai stores. Also check your local super markets, and that includes Super Wal- Mart, as most of them carry Asian or International ingredients. As for the Pad Thai Sauce, it is OK to omit this, though there will be a slight different in taste. (I’ve made another version of this dish for my son, without the Pad Thai Sauce because of its peanut content. It came out just as good.)

Ingredients:

* 1 pound thinly sliced pork (see marinade below)
* 1 pound shrimp – raw, peeled, deveined (see marinade below)
* 1 pack (14 ounces) Oriental Style Noodles (flat rice noodles or sticks)
* ½ pound bean sprouts – washed and drained
* 5 garlic cloves – smashed, peeled and chopped
* ½ medium onions – thinly sliced
* 3 bunches green onions – chopped
* 1½ cups filtered water
* 4 eggs - lightly scrambled and cooked separately
* ½ cup ground roasted peanuts or almonds (see notes below)
* 7 TBSPs. vegetable or peanut oil

Marinade for Pork and Shrimp:

* 2 ½ TBSPs. rice vinegar
* 2 tsp. kosher salt
* ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 4 tsps. cornstarch (divided)

Mix marinade ingredients. Whisk until salt and cornstarch dissolve. Set aside.

Place pork and shrimp in 2 separate bowls.

Split the marinade equally and pour over pork and shrimp. Marinade both pork and shrimp for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, while you chop the vegetable and prepare the other ingredients.)

Wash the noodles with warm water and drain. Cut noodles into 6 inch lengths and set aside.

Sauce:

* 4 TBSPs. sugar
* 3 TBSPs. fish sauce
* 4 TBSPs. rice vinegar
* 2 TBSPs. Pad Thai Sauce (omit if you can’t find it)
* 1 tsp. ground hot peppers (optional)

*Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a large wok or large, deep skillet. Add 2 tablespoons oil and sauté garlic, onions and green onions. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large platter and set aside.

Using the same skillet, add 3 tablespoons oil and stir fry the pork until cooked, about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and stir fry until color turns pink. Transfer to the same platter with the garlic and onions.

Using the same skillet, add 1 ½ cups filtered water. Bring water to a boil and add the noodles. Stir and boil the noodles until most of the liquid is absorbed, and the noodles are cooked al dente. (Do not over cook the noodles.)

Add the stir fried pork and shrimp, and the sautéed garlic and onions. Stir until all ingredients are well combined and mixed with the noodles. Add the bean sprouts and stir.

Drizzle the sauce over the noodles, pork and shrimp mixture. Stir noodles and other ingredients are coated with the sauce. Turn the heat to very low and keep the skillet covered.

Heat another skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Crack the eggs and lightly scramble using a spatula. Season eggs with ½ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Let the eggs set and cook on one side and turn over to cook the other side. (Your eggs should resemble an omelet.) Tear the eggs into large pieces and add to the noodles.

Serve noodles with ground roasted peanuts or almond nuts.