Cambodian Style Noodles

I thought it was about time I cooked up one of my traditional Cambodian dishes, seeing as I am half Cambodian and half Irishy.  I grew up eating a ton of rice and stir fry.  I use to dread eating it so often when I was in school.  Funny now because I crave these type of foods as an adult. 

Mostly all my friends/classmates in school were Caucasian and I think I wanted to fit in and eat Shake n Bake and Kraft Macaroni. I remember being teased in middle school for being "Asian"  boys calling my best friend and I very rude and offensive names because she was half Chinese.  Luckily that all changed in High School due to a more diverse place.  I also thought my friends were so much cooler because they were allowed to eat in front of the TV and I wasn't at my house.  We all had to sit together around the table and talk about our days, can you imagine?!  Well thank goodness for that, because its what I do with my family now!  It was a important and meaningful tradition. I just couldn't see it with my immature eyes. 

I've learn to cook over the years from watching my Dad, Mom, and Grandma, all equally amazing in the kitchen. They each have dishes I try to recreate and put my own spin on. The last 10 years I've become obsessed with cooking shows and I have a few favorites that I love to watch!  Finally Asian style cuisine is more popular, and I'm not talking about Chinese. That has been a hit for eons!

This is my take on my Daddy's rice noodles, he always adds a meat, like beef or shrimp.  Tonight I choose beef and chicken, as my girls are more prone to eating chicken than anything else.  If you have a Asian market close by than the ingredients are easy to find.  Although I have noticed more chain stores carrying things like Sriracha and fish sauce.  Back when I was young those things would have never been in the isles!

Here is what you'll need:
1 package rice noodles or you can even use regular pasta like fettuccine, cook accordingly to package
1.5 lb or so of sliced chicken, sliced beef or shrimps
1 medium sliced onion
1/2 cup pea pods
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 TBSP Seasoning Sauce, kinda of like Soy Sauce if that's all you can find
2 TBSP Sesame oil
1 Tsp chili pepper flakes or whatever you like spicy wise
1 TBSP Fish Sauce
1 TBSP Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp sugar
Fresh cut cilantro and crushed peanuts to garnish
We always put Sriracha on top and mix it in.  Like everything else you can omit this.

Marinate your meats in Seasoning Sauce, Fish Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar and sugar.  Meanwhile cook up your noodles and set aside.  Heat up your oils in large frying pan on med-high and add chili pepper flakes.  Then add your onions and garlic.  Try not to burn.  Then toss in pea pods, meat and marinade making sure to cook chicken through.  Then you can add in your cooked noodles and you fry everything up together for a few minutes.  Plate up and garnish with cilantro, peanuts or even green onions.  Enjoy!

P.S. One of my chores was to make the rice every night.  You know your Cambodian when???

Thanks so much for reading my blog!  Much love, Linzi