Thai Drunken Noodles

This is one of our favorite Thai dishes.  The Thai basil is so good, giving it a smokey flavor!  You have to buy the basil at an Asian market.  It's different than sweet basil, and it's called Thai basil or Holy basil.  You also have to purchase the fresh rice noodles from an Asian market.  They can be frozen and used later.  Or you can use dried flake rice noodles, soak them to soften, but they aren't as good.  Or you can make them.  I have a recipe that I haven't posted yet because I'm still working on it.

Recipe:

Sauce:
1-1½ Tbs black soy sauce
3 Tbs fish sauce
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp palm sugar or sucanut
1 tsp cornstarch

Mix together and set aside.

Remaining Ingredients:
1-1¼ lb fresh rice noodles
8 oz beef, chicken or extra firm tofu
¼ onion, sliced in wedges
1 C fresh green beans or broccoli, cut
½ small sweet red bell pepper, julienne
½ sm green or orange pepper, julienne
4 oz small mushrooms, cut in half
1 fresh Thai chili, thinly sliced on angle
4-5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 C Thai basil leaves
Cracked black pepper
4-5 Tbs oil
lime wedges
bean sprouts

Prepare all vegetables. Slice meat on angle into thin pieces. Soak noodles in warm water. If using uncut noodles, separate each layer and tear into large pieces. Heat wok on high. Add oil and heat until starting to smoke. Add green beans (if using broccoli, add them with the other veggies) and cook for about 15-20 seconds. Add garlic, meat and chili and stir until meat is half way done, about 20 seconds. Add sauce and stir until thickened. Add veggies and stir for 30 seconds. Add noodles and stir for about 30 seconds.  They continue to soften after they are removed from the heat so don't let them turn mushy. Add basil and turn off heat. Stir well, move to serving plate, sprinkle with pepper and serve with beansprouts and lime wedges on the side.