| By : Amrita ( Posted on :12 Feb, 2007 ) | Total Views : 201 | Previous | Next |
Ingredients:
• 500 gm Thai Rice Noodles (or 1 package).
• 3 tbsp. each of: fish sauce, rice vinegar (or white vinegar), and soy sauce.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1-2 red chillies (2 makes this dish very spicy), minced.
• 1 tsp. brown sugar.
• 1/4 cup chicken broth.
• 8-12 medium or large fresh raw prawns.
• 1/2 to 1 cup cooked chicken, and/or 1 cup tofu, cut into cubes (optional).
• 1 egg .
• 2 cups bean sprouts (approximately).
• 1/2 cup each of fresh coriander and fresh basil.
• 1 lime, cut into wedges.
• canola oil (or other good-quality oil for stir-frying).
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, ground or roughly chopped (optional).
• crushed chilli shrimp-flavored (optional).
Directions:
1. Place Thai rice noodles in a pot of cool water (the noodles should be roughly the thickness of linguini). Allow noodles to soak for 1 hour, then drain.
2. Bring the water to a near-boil, then remove from heat. Soak noodles in this water for 10-20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. When they are tender enough to eat (but still firm and a little "crunchy"), drain and run through with cold water. Then pour 1 tsp. of canola oil onto noodles and mix through with your hands (this will keep them from sticking together).
3. Now mix 3 tbsp. of fish sauce, 3 tbsp. of rice vinegar (or regular white vinegar), 3 tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 tsp. sugar together with a spoon. Reserve for later.
4. Warm up a wok or large (and deep) frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the pan (1-2 Tbsp.), then the garlic and chillies. Using a wooden spoon, stir-fry the garlic and chillies for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
5. Add the prawns and stir-fry 1 more minute. When prawns have turned pink, add the cooked chicken and tofu (if using). Stir-fry until heated through. Again, add a little of the chicken broth if wok/pan becomes too dry.
6. Using your wooden spoon, push ingredients to the side of the wok or frying pan. Now crack the egg into the space you have made in the center. Break the yolk immediately with your spoon, and stir (as if you were making scrambled eggs) until egg is cooked.
7. Add 1-2 Tbsp. more oil to the wok/pan. Now add the drained noodles.
8. Add the stir-fry sauce you made earlier. Quickly pour the sauce onto the noodles.
9. Now stir-fry the noodles for 1-3 minutes, or until they turn soft but still chewy and a little sticky.
10. Add the bean sprouts and continue stir-frying briefly, until sprouts soften slightly (30 seconds to 1 minute). Remove wok from heat and taste-test the noodles. If not flavorful enough for your taste, add another 1 tbsp fish sauce mixed with 1 tbsp. vinegar and 1 tbsp. soy sauce.
11. "Toss" with noodles and taste-test again. Repeat until desired flavor is reached.
12. Place the Pad Thai on a serving platter. Top with sprinklings of peanuts (if using), fresh coriander and fresh basil.
13. Finally, add a little shrimp-flavored crushed chilli (you can buy this chilli in bottles imported from Thailand at most Asian grocers - for example, "Mad Pranom" brand).
14. Serve with wedges of fresh lime and enjoy.
Serves 2.
