padthai

Pad Thai

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook of a Telluride institution: Honga's Lotus Petal

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

7 ounces rice noodles
1/2 # protein: shrimp, chicken, tofu. Look for uncooked, peeled, tail-on, deveined shrimp at your grocery store. I get the frozen ones.
1 T canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced
2-3 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime

OPTIONAL:

3/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup peanuts

For the sauce:

1 t paprika
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
2-3 t chili sauce
1 T tamarind paste
1 cup chicken/vegetable stock or water
Pinch salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

In a large bowl cover noodles with boiling water and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with cold water and set aside.

Preheat a wok or skillet over a medium flame. Add 1 T canola oil

Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Add eggs and cook, scrambling. Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Add another bit of canola oil to the wok and sauté ginger and garlic.

Add and shrimp or other protein and cook thru (2-3 minutes for the shrimp, about 4-5 minutes for sliced chicken breast).

Transfer to a plate and reserve.

Make sauce. Combine paprika, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, and tamarind in a small bowl and add to wok

Add noodles to wok as well, and stir to combine. Pour in a bit of stock and stir until liquid is absorbed. Continue to add stock every few minutes, stirring in between, until noodles are tender (using more stock as necessary).

Add the shrimp/protein and eggs back to the wok and also add green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. For the lime juice, just squeeze in half the lime at a time. Taste for seasoning before adding the second half. Add a pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, top with a sprinkling of fresh bean sprounts and roughly chopped peanuts and serve.

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