THAI-STYLE NOODLES & STIR-FRIED LIVER

Ruth at "Once Upon A Feast" from Toronto (Canada) has decided to organize a weekly event that takes place every Friday. It's called "Presto Pasta Nights" (see infos and rules) and as you have maybe guessed, it's all about pasta!

For my third participation, I wanted my post to be a little exotic, so I invented a Thai-style dish. In order to come up with this recipe, I used my knowledge regarding this cuisine and I expressed my "creativity" in a free-stylish way, letting my senses guide me...


This is the kind of meal that I usually cook when I have bought offals such as liver or kidneys and decide to go Thai. So, I let myself get inspired and try to remember what I saw and ate some years ago when I had firsthand Thai meals a go-go.

I must say that I always find this kind of food very satifying as it tastes quite authentic and is very cheap as well as easy to make. The liver which is already very sweet in itself and tastes strong goes well in pair with oyster sauce which is ideal with that kind of "meat" as it complements it's rich and deep aroma perfectly. The lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf add a little tinge and a nice lemony contrast to the dish, the sauces being quite round, briny, sweet and on the same note as the liver. The ground toasted rice is there to bring an original popcornish flavor that is very interesting as well as an additional gustatory texture to this dish. The same goes with the extra coriander and fried red onions...

My "Thai-Style Noodles With Stir-Fried Liver" differ from the usual stir-fries as it's not something that you find in every restaurant or coobook. It is a very pleasant (if you like offals), homey, healthy dish that allies exotism with simplicity. So, why ask for more?

~ Thai-Style Noodles With Stir-Fried Liver ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 2

Ingredients:
250g Beef liver, cut into thickish strips
150g Frozen spinach
1 Onion, sliced
3 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs Roasted glutinous rice, ground (optional, see infos)
2 Squares Chinese egg noodles
1-2 Tbs Fish sauce (Nuoc Mam/Nam Pla)
3 Tbs Oyster sauce (see infos)
2 Tbs Thai sweet chilli sauce (see infos)
2 Tbs Thai light soy sauce (see infos)
1/2 Stick lemongrass (the whiter part), chopped finely
1 Kaffir lime leaf, chopped finely (see infos)
1 Tbs Palm sugar (see infos)
1/4 Cup Water, if needed
Some fresh coriander (or Thai basil), chopped
Fried red onions (see infos)

Method:
1. In a little oil, fry the garlic until crispy and golden brown. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile cook the noodles in enough boiling water, for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir-fry the onions and set aside.
4. Over high heat, stir-fry the liver for abour 3/4 of a minute, until golden. Set aside.
5. Meanwhile cook the noodles in enough boiling water, for about 5 minutes.
6. Lower the heat to medium high and add the lemongrass, the kaffir lime leaf, the onion, the garlic and the ground rice. Stir.
7. Add the spinach, then the liver and mix them well together with the rest of the ingredients in the pan.
8. Add the fish sauce, the oyster sauce, the soy sauce, the sweet chilli sauce and the palm sugar. If it's a little dry, add a bit of water.
9. Strain the noodles.
10. Serve over the noodles and sprinkle with the chopped coriander and the fried red onions.

Remarks:
You can also use any other kind of liver or even kidneys and replace the frozen spinach by fresh spinach.
To obtain ground roasted glutinous rice, take the raw glutinous rice, roast it in a pan (without any fat) until golden brown and then grind it in a mortar.
If you don't have any Thai light soy sauce, any other soy sauce will do the trick as long as it's not too dark nor thick. The same goes with the chilli sauce, as long as it's sweet and mild.
When stir-frying and adding the ingredients, work very fastly, otherwise the liver will be too hard (overcooked). It should be smooth and a little pink inside.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as suggested above. If you want to drink some alcohol with this dish, then I recommend that you accompany your meal with a good beer (preferably blond).

(Ayuthaya -Pic by Greg Talecki www.trekearth.com)