PAD THAI -- GENERAL NOTES: ========================== Rice Noodles: ------------- You can use fresh or dried, in widths from 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide. I've never tried fresh. The dried ones have to be soaked in water to soften them. The recipes call for soaking in cold water, lukewarm water, hot water, and boiling water for anywhere from 7 minutes to 2 hours. I put mine into warm tap water and let them soak while I'm preparing everything else. Just before I start cooking, I dump them into a colander to drain. One recipe suggests cellophane noodles as an alternative to rice noodles -- I've never tried that variation. Meat or No Meat: ---------------- The most common meat called for is shrimp, with chicken and/or pork use in addition to or in place of the shrimp. Some recipes add bean curd; some substitute it for the meat. Jeff Smith's recipe uses deep fried bean curd. My own variation is to substitute various veggies (asparagus, red bell pepper, broccoli, snow peas, or whatever else looks good.) As Nancie McDermott says, "Thai cooks blithely tinker with the classic formula to create signature variations, and you can, too." Oil and Seasonings: ------------------- Cooking pad thai starts with vegetable or peanut oil. Most versions add garlic, and sometimes shallots, shrimp paste (be prepared for the smell!), onions, fresh red chilies, and/or preserved sweet white radish. The Sauce: ---------- What makes pad thai, in addition to the rice noodles, is the sauce. The general mix of flavors is sweet, salty, sour, and hot. Typical ingredients are: -- fish sauce (sometimes soy sauce is used in addition, or in place of for pure vegetarian versions) -- sugar (sometimes palm sugar is suggested) -- vinegar (various kinds specified; tamarind sauce or lime juice are sometimes used instead) -- "red stuff" -- may be paprika, tomato paste, catsup, chili powder, hot chili sauce, chili paste with garlic, tomato sauce, or cayenne pepper, depending on the recipe. -- Other possible additions: salt, black pepper, chicken stock, dried shrimp powder. One recipe calls for boiling the sauce before using. Eggs: ----- Anywhere from 0-6. Some recipes call for beating the eggs before adding; others suggested breaking the yolk after adding the egg to the pan. Various techniques are suggested for manipulating the egg while cooking. One recipe calls for cooking the egg before starting the pad thai, cutting it into strips, and then adding the egg strips back at the end of cooking. I haven't tried this myself but have had it in restaurants. Bean Sprouts and Scallions: --------------------------- These are usually added last in cooking, or added to the finished dish without cooking. Garnishes: ---------- Various things can be added to finished dish as an edible garnish: -- lime or lemon wedges -- ground roasted chilies -- ground roasted peanuts -- dried red chili flakes -- fresh coriander leaves -- cucumber slices -- dried shrimps -- fried basil leaves -- cherry tomatoes -- mint sprigs Experiment, and enjoy! KWITIAOW PAD THAI ================= (Serves 6) Ingredients: ------------ 1/2 cup peanut or corn oil 1 oz raw prawns, shelled 4 oz firm bean curd (tofu), diced 3 tblsp preserved sweet white radish, chopped 3 tblsp sliced shallots 4 eggs 11 oz rice or cellophane noodles (sen kel or woon sen), soaked in cold water for 7-10 minutes, if dried 1/4 cup chicken stock 3 tblsp dried shrimps, chopped 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped 4 spring onions, sliced 15 oz bean sprouts Sauce: ------ 1 cup water 1/2 cup tamarind juice 1/3 cup palm sugar 1 tblsp white soya sauce Instructions: ------------- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a pan and boil until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Set aside to cool. Heat the oil in a wok or pan until very hot, then add the prawns and bean curd and stir-fry lightly for 1 minute. Add the preserved radish and shallot, fry for 1 minute, and break in the eggs. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the noodles and chicken stock. When the noodles are soft (about 2 minutes), add the dried shrimps, peanuts, spring onions and bean sprouts. Add the sauce, fry for a couple of minutes and serve. Serve accompanied by chopped peanuts, chopped dry chillies, sugar, lime wedges, spring onions, and fresh bean sprouts, all in small containers. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% MY PAD THAI =========== Ingredients: ------------ 3 1/2 tblsp distilled white vinegar 2 tblsp water 2 1/2 tblsp fish sauce 3 tblsp tomato paste 2 1/2 tblsp sugar 1/2 tblsp dried shrimp, pounded to a powder 9 oz flat rice sticks, 1/8 inch wide vegetable oil 1/3 cup fresh thai or purple or sweet basil leaves 2 red Serrano chili peppers, seeded and very finely minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 1/2 large boned chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 3/8 inch thick strips, or 1 lb lean pork, cut into thin slices 3/8 inch by 2 inches 8 oz small, cooked shelled shrimp 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups fresh bean sprouts, beans removed 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, coarsely ground cherry tomatoes, halved lime wedges mint sprigs or sliced green onions Instructions: ------------- Combine the vinegar, water, fish sauce, tomato paste, sugar, and dried shrimp in a small bowl; mix until well blended and reserve. In a large pot, soak the noodles in enough water to cover. In a small skillet or pot, heat vegetable oil 3/4 to 1 inch deep to 350 degrees, or until a dried rice noodle puffs instantly when dropped into the oil. Deep-fry the basil leaves a few at a time, turning them once or twice until they are crisp, or 40 seconds to a minute; drain on paper toweling. Bring the noodles to a boil and cook them 2 minutes, or until they are almost tender. Drain and rinse them well, then spread them on paper toweling to dry slightly. Head a wok or large skillet and add about 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Fry the Serrano peppers about 30 seconds, then add the garlic and stir-fry until it is soft. Add the chicken or pork and stir-fry until the chicken is almost opaque throughout or the pork is browned. Stir in the shrimp and the sauce and mix completely. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the eggs. When they are almost set, scramble them evenly. Add half the noodles, throughly incorporating them into the mixture; stir in the remaining noodles and half the bean sprouts. Cook just until the bean sprouts are nearly wilted. Heap the meat and noodles onto a platter. Cover one half of them with ground peanuts and the other half with uncooked bean sprouts. Ring the noodles with lime wedges, cherry tomatoes, and mint sprigs and garnish the top with the fried basil. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% PAD THAI (1) ============ Ingredients: ------------ 1/2 lb thai flat rice noodles (bahn pho) or rice sticks oil for deep-frying 1/2 lb fresh firm bean curd, cut into tiny cubes 1/4 cup peanut oil 1/2 tblsp garlic, chopped 1/2 cup very thinly sliced skinless and boneless chicken breast 1/4 lb shrimp, peeled and cut in half the long way 2 eggs, beaten 1 tblsp dried shrimp powder 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 3 tblsp finely chopped dry-roasted salted peanuts 2 tblsp lime juice, freshly squeezed 1 tblsp sugar 6 tblsp Thai fish sauce 1/4 cup tamarind sauce 2 tsp red chili paste with garlic 2 cups fresh bean sprouts 2 limes, quartered 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves 3 chopped scallions 4 tblsp finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts Instructions: ------------- Soak the noodles in ample warm water until supple, about 15 minutes, drain and set aside. Place the noodles in boiling water and cook just until the water returns to the boil. Drain again. Heat the oil for deep-frying to 375 degrees and deep-fry the cut bean curd. Be sure the pat the bean curd dry on a paper towel first so that it will not spatter fat on you. Drain the bean curd and set aside. Heat a large wok and add the peanut oil, garlic, and chicken. Chow for a few minues and then add the shrimp, drained noodles, beaten eggs, and deep-fried bean curd. Toss well and chow for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnishes, and chow or stir for a few more minutes until the noodles are hot and tender. Place on a serving platter with the garnishes, which are an integral part of the dish. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% PAD THAI (2) ============ (Serves 2) Ingredients: ------------ 1/4-1/3 lb flat rice stick noodles (banh pho), 1/4 " wide 1/4 cup peanut oil 1/4 lb pork, cut into matchstick strips 6 shrimps, peeled and deveined 1 tsp crushed garlic 1 egg 2 Tblsp water 2 Tblsp rice vinegar 1 Tblsp fish sauce 1 Tblsp sugar 1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts 1/4 tsp ground dry shrimp freshly ground white pepper 1/4 tsp Asian chili powder (to taste) 1 cup bean sprouts, washed and drained 1/4 cup scallions, cut 3/4" long fresh coriander wedges of fresh lime Ingredients: ------------ Soak noodles in warm water for 60 minutes. Drain and set aside. Prepare all other ingredients and arrange near the wok. You will need to work fast. In the wok, fry the pork in the peanut oil at medium heat. When half cooked, add the shrimps and garlic and stir. Cook until shrimp and pork are done. Beat the egg and add it to the mixture. Cook, stirring, for about half a minute. Turn the heat to high. Add the drained noodles to shrimp mixture. Add water, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, shrimp powder, and most of the peanuts. Sprinkle in white pepper and chili powder. Toss to combine. Let it cook on one side (Don't stir; keep checking the underside as if it were a big pancake). Flip it over as best you can and repeat until nearly cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add most of the sprouts and scallions. Stir and cook for another minute. Turn onto a plate. Top with the rest of the sprouts, scallions, and peanuts. Garnish with coriander and serve with a wedge of fresh lemon. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% From: stigle@cs.unca.edu (Sue Stigleman) PAD THAI (3) ============ Ingredients: ------------ 1 pkg (16-ounce) chantaboon rice sticks, medium thread 1 tblsp vegetable oil 6 eggs beaten 1/4 cup vegetable oil 8 garlic gloves 1 lb pork, beef or chicken, sliced thin, bite sized, or shrimp, shelled and deveined. 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup sliced salted radish (chai Po) 1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla) 1 cup coarse ground roasted peanuts 2 tblsp chile powder or paprika 2 cups bean sprouts 1 cup sliced green onion 1 cup sliced cilantro 1 lime Instructions: ------------- Soak rice sticks in lukewarm water for 1 hour, drain and set aside. Set wok over high heat, for 1 minute. Heat wok with 1 tablespoon of oil until sizzling hot and coat sides of wok evenly. Add eggs and fry, until eggs set, turn over and fry, until light brown on both sides. Remove from wok and slice thin, bite size. Set aside. Heat 1/4 cup of oil in wok until sizzling hot. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. add meat, stir and cook, until meat or tofu is done, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add rice sticks and vinegar, cook until rice sticks soften. Add eggs, and the next 5 ingredients, stir to blend. Remove to serving plate. Serve bean sprouts cold on the side. Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Serve with slices of fresh lime. Squeeze lime on pad thai. Serves 10 as a side dish. Serves 6 as an only dish. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% PAD THAI (SAUTEED RICE NOODLES) =============================== Ingredients: ------------ 1 pkg (16 oz) rice noodles 1/2 cup vegetable oil 5 or 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined 2 firm-style bean curd squares, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pickled turnips 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/5 cup fish sauce 1 tblsp paprika 1/4 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 lb mung bean sprouts 3 scallions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 cup ground unsalted peanuts 1 fresh red chili pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 1 lemon, cut into wedges coriander leaves for garnish 1/4 cup crushed red pepper (optional) Instructions: ------------- In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in 10 to 12 cups of cold water for 2 hours. Drain and cover with a damp towel to retain moisture. In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil and stir-fry the garlic until it is light brown. Add the shrimp, bean curd and pickled turnips; stir in the vinegar, fish sauce, paprika and sugar. When thoroughly mixed, fold in the noodles. When the noodles are completely coated, spread them out to the sides of the wok or frying pan, leaving a space in the middle. Add the beaten eggs. As the eggs cook, fold the noodles over them and stir to combine all of the ingredients evenly. Stir in half of the bean sprouts, then add the scallions, ground peanuts and chopped chili pepper. Toss several times to mix well. Serve on a large platter with lemon wedges. Top with the remaining bean sprouts and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve the crushed red pepper on the side, for those who like it extra-spicy. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% PAD THAI WITH SHRIMP ==================== Ingredients: ------------ 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 Instructions: ------------- 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. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%