2 red Thai chiles
2 tablespoons lard or soybean oil
8 ounces beef sirloin, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon pickled green peppercorns
1 green Thai chile, crushed
One 2-inch piece galangal, peeled and julienned (Thai rhizome root; can buy at Amazon or Asian market)
½ long green chile, thinly sliced into rings
½ long red chile, thinly sliced into rings
2 ounces (⅓ cup) long beans, cut into 1½-inch batons
½ cup sliced baby corn
½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons beef stock
½ cup holy basil leaves
1 teaspoon Lao Khao or any neutral rice liquor
Using a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and red Thai chiles into a paste. In a large wok, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Add the chile paste and the beef, and stir-fry until fragrant and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pickled green peppercorns, green Thai chile, galangal, long green chile and long red chile, then stir-fry until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the long beans, baby corn and onions, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the sauces and sugar, followed by the beef stock. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the basil leaves and Lao Kho. Adjust the seasoning with fish sauce, then divide between plates and serve. NOTE: The intention is NOT to post recipes that contain hard-to-find ingredients. Some are necessary, though, to maintain the integrity of the recipe. With advent of the internet we are all within reach of what we need.