Thai cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Pad Pak Krachet

Crisp water mint stems stir-fried with garlic and fermented soybean paste in one minute.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g water mint stems (pak krachet, or water spinach as a substitute)
• 2 tbsp fermented soybean paste (taucheo)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 Thai chilies
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 60 ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp lime juice

Instructions

1. Wash the water mint stems, strip off the spongy outer skin with your fingers, and break the stems into 5 cm long pieces.
2. Roughly chop the garlic, slice the Thai chilies into rings, and stir the soybean paste, palm sugar, and stock into a smooth sauce.
3. Heat the oil in a wok until just short of smoking and fry garlic with chili for 15 sec. until sharply fragrant.
4. Add the stems and stir-fry over the highest heat for 60 sec. until hot all through but still crisp.
5. Pour in the sauce and toss for another 30 sec. until every stem is glossily coated.
6. Season with lime juice and serve immediately on a flat platter with rice.