COLLECTION: Pad Thai

From: arielle@taronga.com (Stephanie da Silva)

Date: Mon, 2 Aug 93 14:20:23 CDT

Contents

Pad Thai (1) 

1/2 pound dried rice noodles 1/8 inch wide   
Warm Water   
1/2 pound shrimp, chicken, pork or combination   
1/4 cup fish sauce   
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar   
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white vinegar   
1 teaspoon paprika 
4 green onions   
1/2 cup vegetable oil  (more if needed for step six)   
1 teaspoon chopped garlic   
2 eggs   
3/4 pound bean sprouts   
ground roasted chiles (see note at bottom)   
ground unsalted roasted peanuts   
Lime wedges   

1. Soak noodles for 20-25 minutes in enough warm water to cover them.   
They should be flexible and soft, but not so soft that they can be mashed    
easily with the fingers. Later cooking in liquid will soften them more.   
Drain them throughly in a colander while preparing the other ingredients.   
Traditionally they are left in full-length strands, but you may cut them   
into 8 inch lengths if you find it easier to stir-fry then that way.   

2. Peel and devein the shrimp leaving the tails intact(or remove if preferred)   
Slice chicken, pork into 1/8 inch strips 1-2 inches long.   

3. Mix the fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and paprika in a bowl and stir until   
the sugar dissolves. Set aside. Slice green onions both the green and white   
parts, diagonally into 1-1/2 inch long pieces. Set aside.   

4. Heat a wok, add the oil and swirl over the surface. Add the garlic and stir   
fry until light golden. Add the meat and stir-fry until shrimp is pink. If   
using chicken or pork stir-fry until pink disappears. Add the noodles and   
toss lightly to coat with oil and the distribute meat and garlic( I often   
do this in a larger pot since things tend to come out of the wok).   

5. Add the liquid from step 3 and bring it to a boil rapidly, gently    
folding the noodles without breaking them. Reduce heat to medium and   
boil the mixture, folding frequently until the noodles have absorbed the    
liquid (I find a pasta server works great for this step).   

6. Lift the noodles gently from one side of the wok. Pour a little oil   
along the side of the wok, then break the egg ad slip it into the oil.   
Break the yolk and cover the egg with the noodles immediately. Repeat   
this on the opposite side with the other egg. Allow eggs to cook    
undisturbed, over moderate heat until they are set and almost dry.    
Additional oil may by added if the eggs or the noodles begin to stick to the   
wok.   

7. When the eggs are set and almost dry, fold them gently but rapidly into   
the noodles. Try not to break the noodles, which will be soft and fragile   
at this point. An effective way is to insert the scoop under the eggs, lift   
it through, and fold the mixtureover. Continue the lifting and folding    
motion until the eggs are broken up and well distributed.   

8. Add the green onions (and bean sprouts if you prefer them mixed in)   
and toss the entire mixture quickly and gently, stll avoiding breaking   
the noodles. Cook for about 2 minutes or until onions are tender.   

9. Take a large platter spread with bean sprouts(if you left them out   
above). Spread Pud Thai from wok over top. Sprinkle ground chilies(see   
note) and ground peanuts over the top and squeeze lime over the top.   
Or serve toppings seperatly for each diner to add according to taste.   

Note on chilies: Buy whole dried chiles and grind since pre-ground often   
lack the "bite" of whole ones. Thai chilies may be used (_VERY_ hot),   
or milder American chiles may be used. The Thai chilies are know as   
Prig hang. They may also be found in Mexican food sections under the   
name "Chiles Arbol". Use sparing if you aren't used to them they   
are quite potent.   

Pad Thai (2)

1/2C. vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1C. small cooked shrimp
1T. sugar
3T. fish sauce
1 1/2T. ketchup
2 eggs, beaten
3/4lb. rice vermicelli, soaked in hot water for 15 mins. and drained
1C. bean sprouts

Garnish

1T. dried shrimp powder
2T. peanuts, coarsely ground
1/2t. dried red chili flakes
2 green onions, finely chopped
2T. coriander leaves, chopped
2 limes, sliced into rings

Heat oil in a wok and fry garlic until golden.  Quickly add the shrimp and stir
fry until heated through.  Add the sugar, fish sauce and ketchup and stir until
sugar dissolves.  Add the beaten eggs, letting them set slightly, then stir to
scramble.  Add the noodles and toss and stir for about 2 mins.  Reserving about
4 Tbls. of bean sprouts, add the remainder to the wok.  Stir over heat until
the bean sprouts are barely cooked.  Turn the Pad Thai onto a platter, placing 
the reserved, raw bean sprouts on one side.

Presentation

Sprinkle the noodles with the garnish ingredients in the following order:
shrimp powder, peanuts, chili flakes, green onions, coriander leaves.  Ring
the platter with the lime slices and serve.

From: The Original Thai Cookbook by Jennifer Brennan

Pad Thai (3)

noodles - vermicelli or rice noodles ~ 6 oz.
2 T. peanut butter
5 T. soy sauce or tamari
1 T. brown sugar
2 scrambled eggs
6 diced scallions
5 cloves pressed garlic
peanuts
1/3 cup vinegar
quartered lime

Cook, rinse and refrigerate the noodles ahead of time.
In a bowl mix the PB, soy, and sugar.

In the wok, sautee the scallions and garlic.  You can add bean sprouts 
at this point too.  After a few minutes, add the noodles, and stir-fry them
for about 5 minutes.  Then add the stuff in the bowl, and the vinegar.  
Cook this for a couple more minutes.  Last, add the eggs and peanuts, and 
heat until hot.  Serve with the lime wedges on the side.

Pad Thai (4)

1 Pkg (10-16 oz. (.3-.5 kg) rice stick noodles
2Tbl oil (30 ml)
3 or more cloves garlic, crushed or minced
8oz. (250g) Shrimp, peeled (optional)
8oz. (250g) Chicken, Pork or more Shrimp, cut into dice or matchsticks
(optional)
2 or 3 eggs
1 Cup (250ml) bean sprouts
1/4 Cup (60ml) chopped/ground peanuts
1 red chile, finely chopped, or 1 tsp (5ml) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Cup (250ml) sliced cabbage
Cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Sauce
1/4 Cup (60ml) Thai Fish Sauce
1/4 Cup (60ml) White Vinegar
2 Tbl (30 ml) white sugar
3 Tbl (90 ml) Paprika

Soak the rice noodles in cold water at least two hours before cooking. 
Drain

In a large wok, heat oil and stir-fry garlic for 30 seconds.  Add shrimp
and other meat if used.

Add the noodles, and stir-fry until al dente.  Add sauce ingredients,
cook to allow most of this to be absorbed (2 minutes or so).

Spread the noodles, etc. out to the sides, and add eggs.  Some will crack
the eggs directly into the wok, others will pre-scramble.  If cracked
into the pan, start stirring them up when partially cooked, so you get
'streaky' yellow and white eggs.  As they cook, fold the noodle mixture
back in.

Add 1/2 the bean sprouts, peanuts, red pepper, folded into the mixture.

Serve hot, garnished with the rest of the bean sprouts, chopped cabbage,
cilantro.  Serve with lime wedges to be squeezed into the noodles.

In my house, we have doctored this with thai hot chile sauce, sweet and
sour sauce, or  sate-style peanut sauce.  It takes to any of these very
well, depending on your tastes.

Pad Thai with Shrimp

8 oz.		small size rice noodles
3 T		tomatoe sauce or tamarind paste
2 T		veg. oil
1 T		pickled radish
3 T		sugar
1/3 c		water or chicken stock
1 		egg
3 T		fish sauce
1/2 lb		shrimp, cleaned and shelled
1 handful	bean sprouts (fresh); chopped once or twice
2 oz		green onions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 T		finely chopped peanuts


1. Soak the rice noodles in cold tap water about 20 minutes, until 
   they are "springy".  Then drain in a colander until needed.

2. If using dried tamarind, soak the tamarind in hot water for awhile,
   then mash with a fork to soften.  Force as much of the mixture as 
   you can through a seive to remove bits of bark, etc.

3. Heat oil in wok, and add the tamarind/tomato sauce, picked radish,
   and sugar.  Mix well and let heat up.

4. Add the noodles, small portions at a time, and and that water/stock.
   Mix well until all the noodles are coated with the mixture.  Add more
   liquid if necessary -- it will cook out.  Don't be easy on the 
   noodles -- chop them with the spatula or spoon some to separate them.
   It may help to "toss" the noodles like a salad, to get them coated.

5. Beat the egg and mix with the noodles.  Add the fish sauce and shrimp.
   Mix everything thoroughly.  The noodles will tend to "clump", so stir
   or "toss" like a salad to get everything mixed, and to ensure that the
   egg and shrimp cook thoroughly.  It will help to cover the wok with
   a lid for a minute or so, then toss the mixture, then cover again.
   You'll know it's done when the shrimp are completely pink.  There may
   be a little browning of the noodles; stirring will keep them from
   burning.

6. Add the bean sprouts, green onions, and chopped peanuts.  Mix well,
   then turn off the heat and let stand a minute or so.  Serve.



mara

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