Crispy Noodles (Mee Krob)

I have never been to a Thai restaurant that did not serve Mee Krob. It's as unthinkable as not seeing pad Thai on the menu. If you have never eaten Mee krob it is worth ordering, or making it in your own home.

A good Thai meal should have several courses served together family style. It is all about variety and how the different dishes on the table play together.

Mee Krob is a spicy noodle appetizer which combines the basic flavor profiles in found in Thai cooking: sweet, hot, salty, sour, bitter and savory are all in merged in a delicate balance. The textures liven up a meal. Light crispy noodle cloud, crisp bean sprouts and green onions, tender shrimp all wrapped in a light tangy sauce dance on the tongue.

Ingredients

• ¼ Pound Rice Vermicelli
• 1-2 ounces Shrimp raw
• ½ Cup tamarind paste
• ½ Cup Green onion, cut into 1" length
• ½ Cup Bean sprouts
• 1 to 4 Tablespoon Fish sauce
• 5 Tablespoons Brown or Palm sugar
• ½ Cup Warm water
• 1 Teaspoon Ketchup
• 4-5 Cups Cooking oil for deep frying
• 4-5 sprigs Cilantro or Chinese parsley
• Red Chili, sliced

Mise En Place

1. Clean, remove the shells and devein the shrimp
2. Cut the Green onion into 1" lengths.
3. Combine tamarind with warm water, mix and strain.
4. Simmer rice vermicelli in water until soft. Drain well.

Preparation

1. Fry noodles, a little at a time, in a wok on high heat until they puff up.
2. Set aside in the paper towels to drain.
3. In a saucepan, stir fry shrimp in 3 Tablespoon of oil; combine tamarind water, fish sauce, sugar and ketchup.
4. Bring to boil and simmer on a low heat until sugar becomes sticky.
5. Combine fried noodles and toss lightly to mix.
6. Garnish with cilantro or Chinese parsley, and red chili.
7. Serve with bean sprouts. and green onion.

Yields 2 servings