Thai Rice Noodles in Gravy (Lard Nar)

One of every Thai's comfort food, this noodle dish will sooth your soul with its mild gravy sauce. In Thailand, there are many variations of the dish as the rice noodle and the gravy base is extremely versatile which can leverage all kinds of ingredients. Our version of Lard Nar incorporates the classic Chinese broccoli and tender sliced pork combo, and a little bit of other veggies which were available in our fridge. However, you can add any vegetables that you like or change up the protein. Some of the vegetables which you can either substitute or add to the dish are mushroom, baby corn, broccoli, yu choy, bok choy, collard greens, cauliflower, broccoli rabe, kale, and carrots. As for protein substitutes, you can use sliced beef, sliced chicken, seafood, fried firm tofu, and seitan. The gravy sauce should mellow out all the ingredients and create a well rounded flavor to coat the charred rice noodles. 

Thai Rice Noodles in Gravy

Time: 30 min
Course: Entree
Serving: 2

Ingredients

Rice Noodles
2 cups of wide rice noodles
​2 tbsp Canola oil

Pork Marinade
1 cup of sliced pork
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp thin soy sauce
1 tsp potato starch or corn starch
1/8 tsp white pepper
​
Gravy
1 tbsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
​2 cups Chinese broccoli (~4 stalks), optional, chopped to 2 in long chunks
1 large shitake mushroom, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
2 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp thin soy sauce
1 tsp sugar

Thickener
2 tbsp potato starch or corn starch
1/2 cup water 



​

How to make it?

1. To prepare the rice noodles, heat a wok or a pan with canola oil until smoking. Add the rice noodles. Allow it to sit and char on one side before flipping the noodles. Occasionally stir to allow noodles to char. Remove the noodles  from the wok and set aside.

2. Mix the sliced pork with oyster sauce, thin soy sauce,  potato starch, and white pepper.

​3. Heat the wok or pan with canola oil on medium high heat. Add the garlic and marinaded sliced pork. Stir fry until the pork is browned.

​4. Add the Chinese broccoli, shitake mushrooms, and carrots to the pork. Stir fry until the vegetables are half way cooked. If you are adding vegetables which has a leafy and a stem component, you may need to add the stem first and allow longer cooking time before adding the leafy component. Otherwise, your leafy veggies will be overcooked.

5.  Combine broth or water to the stir fried mixture. Bring it to a boil and then allow it to simmer for 3 minutes. 

6. Season mixture with oyster sauce, thin soy sauce, and sugar.

7. Combine the potato starch and water in a separate bowl. Drizzle the thickener while mixture is simmering. Stir to combine. Simmer for another minute until the mixture becomes gravy like.

8. Serve the gravy mixture on top of the rice noodles. Garnish with a little bit of white pepper.  You can enjoy the noodles with typical Thai condiments such as pickled chilies with vinegar (Nam Som Prik Dong). Cheers!

"There is no sincerer love than the love of food."
​- George Bernard Shaw