STIR-FRIED COCONUT NOODLES

Steps:

• Soak the noodles in very hot water to cover until you're ready to add them to the stir-fry. Meanwhile, put a tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok and turn the heat to high. A minute later, add the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it browns and loses its raw look, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add another tablespoon of the oil to the skillet, followed by the pepper and eggplant. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the pepper and eggplant are browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and combine with the meat.
• Add the remaining tablespoon oil, followed immediately by the garlic and, about 30 seconds later, the coconut milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon, for about a minute. Add the drained noodles along with the meat and vegetables and cook until the noodles absorb most of the coconut milk, about 3 minutes.
• Season with nam pla, soy sauce, or salt to taste, then add plenty of black pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
• Rice Noodles
• Asians use wheat and rice noodles with equal frequency-but not interchangeably. Rice noodles have no equivalent in European cooking. Made from rice powder, and almost always sold dried, they are nearly as convenient as fresh wheat noodles. Regardless of their name (rice stick, rice vermicelli, Oriental-style noodle, and so on), rice noodles are easily recognized by their grayish white, translucent appearance and by the fact that because of their somewhat irregular shapes they are never packed in as orderly a fashion as wheat noodles (they are quite long and are packaged folded up over themselves).
• They're best when soaked for a few minutes in hot water, then boiled just until their raw flavor disappears. Finally, they're never really what you call al dente, but rather quite soft.
• You might see fresh rice noodles from time to time, but for the most part they are sold dried, like most pasta, only in far fewer shapes, ranging from very thin to linguine-like to fettuccine-like; that's about it. The superthin ones (usually called "vermicelli") are best for soups.The two thicker varieties, usually called "rice sticks," are best for stir-fries.