Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish typically made with shrimp, chicken, or tofu; vegetables such as beansprouts, garlic, and onion; and a tamarind-based sauce. Other common ingredients include fish sauce, peanuts, and lime.
Preliminaries: Soak noodles in warm water to cover for 30 minutes.
Procedure: Trim any fat or sinew off the chicken and cut the breastsacross the grain into 3-inch-by-1/4-inch strips.
Shell and devein theshrimp.
Seed and mince the chilies.
Mince the garlic and ginger.
Finelychop the onions, reserving the green part for garnish.
Combine the fishsauce, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
Cook the noodles in rapidly boiling water for 1 minute or until tender.
Refresh under cold water, drain and blot dry on paper towels.
Toss thenoodles with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.
Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the rest ofthe vegetable oil.
Fry the chilies for 30 seconds.
Add the garlic, gingerand onions and stir-fry until tender.
Do not let brown.
Add the chickenand stir-fry until cooked.
Stir in the shrimp and fish sauce mixture andcook until the shrimp turns pink.
Make a well in the center of these ingredients and add the egg.
Whenthe egg starts to set, stir to scramble it and toss with the otheringredients.
Stir in the noodles, bean sprouts and half the peanuts.
Cook the pad thai just until the bean sprouts begin to wilt.
(If the panis too small, work in two batches.
) Transfer the mixture to a platter andsprinkle with the remaining peanuts and onions.
Garnish with limewedges and mint leaves and serve.
Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional info (per serving): 463 calories, 23 grams fat, 192 milligramscholesterol, 667 milligrams sodium.