AnnaBanana > wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I am thinking of making my own pad thai soon. I absolutely love eating
> it at restaurants but I don't know if I could handle making it myself.
> Does anyone have a good/easy recipe for it?
>
> thanks!
Hi Anna, this is what we do:
Pad Thai {Jun's notes in [square brackets ]}
Ingredients: (Serves 6 to 8)
½ lb dried rice noodles, 1/8" wide
warm water
½ lb shrimp, chicken, pork or combination
[+ ½ cup dried shrimp, rehydrated]
1/4 cup fish sauce [to taste]
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs granulated sugar [to taste - I use Splenda]
1/4 cup + 2 Tbs white vinegar
1 tsp paprika or 1 Tbs tomato paste or 1 Tbs ketchup [paprika]
4 green onions
½ cup vegetable oil (more if needed in Step 6)
1 tsp (2 cloves) finely chopped garlic
2 eggs [3]
1/4 lb bean sprouts
2 Tbs ground roasted small, hot Thai chiles (see below) [to taste]
1/4 cup ground roasted unsalted peanuts (see below)
Lime wedges
Procedu
1. Soak noodles 20-25 minutes in enough warm water to cover, 'til soft and
flexible, but not mushy. Drain in colander and set aside, cutting into 8"
lengths if desired.
2, Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Slice chicken and/or pork
into strips 1/8' thick x 1-2" long.
3. Mix fish sauce, sugar, vinegar and paprika in a bowl 'til sugar is
dissolved and set aside. Slice green onion (white and green parts)
diagonally into pieces 1-1/2" long x 1/4" thick and set aside.
4. Heat wok, add oil and swirl to cover. Add garlic and stir-fry 'til light
golden. Add shrimp and/or meat and stir fry 'til meat is no longer pink and
shrimp are. Add noodles and toss lightly to coat and distribute meat and
garlic.
5. Add liquid from Step 3 and bring to boil rapidly, folding noodles
without breaking. Reduce heat to medium and boil, folding frequently 'til
liquid is absorbed.
6. Using wok scoop or stiff spatula, lift the noodles from one side of the
wok. Pour a little oil there, break one egg and slip it into the oil. Break
the yolk and cover the egg immediately with the noodles. Repeat with the
other egg[s] evenly around the outside of the noodles in the wok. Allow the
eggs to cook undisturbed, over moderate heat, until set and almost dry. Add
additional oil if eggs or noodles begin to stick to wok.
7. When the eggs are set and almost dry, fold them gently, but rapidly into
the noodles, trying not to break the noodles. HINT: Insert scoop under
eggs, lift through and fold over. Repeat until eggs are broken up and well
distributed.
8. Add bean sprouts and sliced green onions and toss quickly but gently.
Cook about 2 minutes 'til sprouts and onions are crisp-tender.
9. Place on large warm platter. Sprinkle with ground chiles and peanuts and
squeeze lime juice over.
Variation: Omit or reduce shrimp, pork, chicken and substitute pressed tofu
cubes in Step 5.
From "Thai Home-Cooking from Kamolmal's Kitchen."
This is basically how Jun makes it, with her notes in [square brackets].
Ground roasted chiles
Heat a wok, add a little oil and swirl it over the surface. Add fresh
Thai chiles and stir-fry 'til they turn dark red, being careful not to burn
them. If it drives everyone out of the house, yer doin' it right! Drain and
grind with a mortar and pestle.
NOTE: Frying ½ dozen or so whole dried red chiles along with the seeded
ones, will offer a challenge to the big dogs and fat men!
Ground roasted unsalted peanuts
Pieces a little bit larger than grains of sand are about right.
HTH
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