Thai Drunken Noodles

Begin by placing the dry rice noodles in a bowl, then cover them with hot water and let them sit for about an hour, or until they have turned white and become soft. Drain the noodles and set them aside for later use.

Next, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large cooking vessel over low heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned and starting to crisp, taking around 2-3 minutes. Then, stir in the soaked noodles, 1/2 teaspoon of thick soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until the noodles have absorbed the soy sauce and turned a darker brown color, approximately 3 minutes.

Remove the cooked noodles from the pan and set them aside for now. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil over low heat. Add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned and starting to crisp, taking around 2-3 minutes. Then, increase the heat to medium-high and add the pork, serrano pepper, basil, 1/2 teaspoon of thick soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and salt to the pan. Cook and stir the mixture until the pork is no longer pink and the edges of the meat are starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Return the cooked noodles to the pan and stir in the bean sprouts. Continue to cook and stir until the bean sprouts are heated through, approximately 5 more minutes.