Name: Thai Fried Ground Pork with Angel Hair
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai/Eclectic
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 shallots or 1 small red onion, minced; 2" piece fresh ginger, grated; 1 pound ground pork; 2 Tbsp fish sauce; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 Tbsp red curry paste (such as Mae Ploy or Thai Kitchen)*; 4 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 lime zested and juiced)*; 1 can diced tomatoes and their juice; 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped; 8 ounces angel hair pasta (I use Barilla Plus for the additional protein)*

A spicy, flavorful, healthy Thai-inspired dish… Thai Fried Ground Pork with Angel Hair combines Thai red curry paste with ground pork, tomatoes, shallots, cilantro, and some pantry staples in an economical and tasty dish perfect for a couple or a crowd!

Driving to Gila a little too fast, heading away from town, Turning around the bend, seeing the folded, brown hills come in view – My heart rushes to greet them. And suddenly – I’m writing.

~~ Elise Stuart, Beyond (Silver City’s Poet Laureate)

Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and our enjoyment of food is never greater than when we embark on a family adventure.

Last week, we were blessed with a visit from my sister Corinne, and niece Jaime. All of our local “kids” were able to get time off from work, and we headed to Silver City, New Mexico… at the foot of the Gila Wilderness.

All 10 of us shared a charming 100 year-old adobe in downtown Silver City. Cooking together, and enjoying meals together, is always a highlight of our trips! This one was no exception.

After a gorgeous day hiking in the Gila Riparian Preserve and the Arenas Valley, we gathered in and around the narrow galley kitchen to prepare one our family’s favorite dishes – Thai Spicy Fried Ground Pork with Angel Hair.

This simple Thai-inspired dish is a favorite when cooking for a crowd – it’s inexpensive, tasty, and leftover sauce freezes beautifully for another meal. The sauce is served over angel hair pasta, and is garnished with more chopped cilantro and lime wedges. I have experimented with traditional Thai rice noodles, and we always go back to the angel hair…

Our favorite side dish with this is a quick, spicy cucumber pickle. We enjoy this flavorful dish with a spicy and off-dry white wine with low acidity such as a gewurtztraminer. It really can be ready in 30 minutes. 🙂 I hope that you will give it a try!

Cooking Tips:

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of food prep in getting a meal together quickly. Set out all the ingredients, chop the onion or shallots, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, open your can of tomatoes, zest and juice the lime if using, chop the 1/2 cup cilantro plus additional for garnish, bring a stock pot of water to the boiling point…
Keep fresh ginger in a zip bag in the freezer. Using a sharp paring knife, scrape the skin or peel from the root. Using a microplane, finely grate the ginger. This saves time, and spares your partakers from unpleasant chunks of ginger.
Your Well-Stocked Pantry and Fried Rice provides helpful information on pantry items for Asian cooking.
Kaffir lime leaves can be difficult to find. If using them, remove from the wok prior to serving. Lime zest and juice make and excellent substitute.
As I’ve often mentioned, my husband and I are fitness enthusiasts, and we do watch our “macros.” I like Barilla Plus pasta because of the 10 grams of protein per serving. Of course you may substitute your preferred brand.
The recipe is easily scaled up for large groups. It is also freezes very well. I frequently make extra, and freeze for an additional quick meal. Don’t cook and freeze pasta.
This dish is healthy and low calorie only if portions are appropriate. 2 ounces of dried pasta is a serving… only 2 ounces! When I cook pasta, I get out my kitchen scale, and allow 2 ounces per person. PERIOD. It is so tempting to over-indulge in pasta, and that packs on the calories FAST.

Yield: 4 servings

Thai Fried Ground Pork with Angel Hair

A spicy, flavorful, healthy Thai-inspired dish... Perfect for a couple or a crowd!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 Tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots or 1 small red onion, minced
2" piece fresh ginger, grated
1 pound ground pork
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp red curry paste (such as Mae Ploy or Thai Kitchen)*
4 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 lime zested and juiced)*
1 can diced tomatoes and their juice
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
8 ounces angel hair pasta (I use Barilla Plus for the additional protein)*

Instructions

Heat oil in wok.
Add garlic, shallot or red onion, and ginger. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add pork and fry until browned.
Add fish sauce, soy sauce, red curry paste, and lime leaves or juice and zest. Cook 1 - 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta (according to package instructions.)
Add tomatoes and their juice, and cook 5 - 6 minutes.
Add chopped cilantro, and stir to combine.
Serve sauce over pasta with additional chopped cilantro to garnish.

Notes

* Curry paste adds unique flavor, but also adds heat to the dish. You may wish to start with 1 tablespoon, and taste before adding the additional tablespoon.
* Kaffir lime leaves can be difficult to find. If using them, remove from the wok prior to serving. Lime zest and juice make an excellent substitute.
* Barilla Plus pasta is my "go to" choice because of the added protein. However, you can substitute your preferred brand.