10/06/2010

Pad Thai and Brother in Laws Birthday

Pad Thai I made from scratch

pad thai
3large meal size/5 small sides Servings
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1/2 lime
1 egg
4 teaspoons fish sauce (if you don’t want to buy a whole bottle of fish sauce you can use soy sauce it will taste different but it will still be good)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red dried chili flakes i added more i like mine spicy
to taste ground pepper
1 shallot, minced I used white onion cause its what i had
2 tablespoon sugar i think this was upped to about 3 1/2 to 4 table spoons
2 tablespoon tamarind same with this i used the whole pods which was the equivalent of about 4 and a 1/2 pods scrapped from the seed and mashed
1/2 package Thai rice noodles
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2-1/4 lb shrimp
i chicken breast
Optional
1/2 package of tofu – extra firm Optional
2 sprigs of green onion white and green used
2 tablespoons peanuts Optional
1-1/2 cup bean sprouts

Okay heat your walk with vegetable oil add peanuts to oil and roast till brown making sure to take them out when they are still golden as to avoid burning
Add to your remaining oil add your white onion, garlic, green onions and stir till translucent
To this then add your chili flakes, sugar, tamarind paste stir till heated
Then add peanuts, ½ lime squeeze, and fish sauce stir till incorporated and the tamarind is dissolved
Sauce can now be set aside in bowl
Now for the noodles if you’re going to be eating your pad thai right away loosen your noodles now in enough warm/hot water to cover them in a separate bowl. This process takes about 5-7 minutes the noodles should still be a little hard so they can finish cooking with the sauce. This will make the ingredients adhere to the noodles much better and make for a wonderful noodle dish instead of a sticky mess. If you put them in the sauce and realize they aren’t soft enough add a little water to your pad thai and cover and cook a couple of minutes and that should do. If you aren’t eating this right away, I’d suggest making the sauce for the dish and holding off on the noodles till right before.
Anyway
You don’t have to wash out the wok just continue to use the same one with a bit of the sauce in the bottom it will help to cook everything if you find your vegetables are not moving well add a little more sauce or water to the pan
Now add your chicken which has been sliced thin cook about ½ way then 4 minutes add tofu and bean sprouts and cook about 5 minutes finally toss in shrimps and cook another 4-6 minutes till shrimps pink through out
Finally add sauce to meat mixture
Heat and still gently till incorporated
Now if you want to go for a hike or get a shower you can just leave the sauce aside and make the noodles later if not put the noodles with the meat and heat for about 3-5 minutes and there you go
You are now the master of your own pad thai!

If you like adding other veggies do so I love extra cabbage and sprouts and cilantro on top and extra roasted peanuts

I made all this food for my brother in laws birthday party
list follows
Korean flank steak, Albondigas style meatballs, with roasted onions, Spanish rice, and cilantro,crushed red chili and balsamic tri tip, Goma soy chicken drums,scallion celery and black olive Potato salad,layered bean dip, tomatillo salsa verde, pico de gallo…roasted cauliflower, orange yams, maple bacon Brussels sprouts, roasted white zucchini, Balsamic cotija cheese pasta salad with heirloom tomatoes, red onions, parsley and extra virgin olive oil, not pictured pineapple orange cake