Leela Punyaratabandhu's Pad Kee Mao (Drunkard's Noodles)

this is from a cookbook that the Food 52 group has featured before, but we were not members at that time.  This is one of my favorite dishes in a Thai restaurant, but since I am not going to those much these days (it is one food that can be okay as take out, so I have had it twice during the pandemic--once great, the other not so great, which is why it took so long to try again).  In any case, just as with almost everything else that I definitely do not make at home, this too is now off that list.

2 fresh bird’s eye chiles, or fewer or more to taste, stemmed
2 large cloves garlic
1 large shallot, about 1 ounce
1 pound fresh wide rice noodles
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 yellow or white onion, cut into 1-inch-wide wedges
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons thin soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons packed grated palm sugar, or 1 teaspoon packed light or brown sugar
1 fresh large red or green Thai long chile, cut lengthwise on the diagonal into 1⁄4-inch- wide strips
1 Roma tomato, quartered lengthwise, then quarters halved crosswise
1 cup loosely packed fresh holy basil leaves

In a mortar or a mini chopper, combine the bird’s eye chiles, garlic, and shallot and grind to a fine paste. Set aside.

If the noodles are in sheet form, rather than precut, cut them lengthwise into 1-inch- wide strips and separate the layers into singles. Cut the chicken against the grain and on the diagonal into thin, bite-size pieces.

Heat the oil in a wok or a 14-inch skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the prepared paste and stir until fragrant and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Turn up the heat to high, add the onion wedges and let them brown on the underside, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Flip them and brown the second side for 2 minutes. Add the chicken and fish sauce and stir until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the noodles, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar, long chile, and tomato and stir to mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles soften and the sauce is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil, and stir just until wilted. Serve immediately.