Sunday, July 12, 2009

i have officially decided upon a favorite cuisine.

i love thai food. i do. especially after having been in thailand for 2 weeks. i really think that i could eat it everyday. and thus i decided to take my love to the next level and attempt what is probably the best known thai dish: pad thai. so i took to tastespotting to search for a great (and relatively easy) recipe. after perusing a few, i decided upon chocolate shaving's pad thai recipe. and i have to say, i loved it. it was rather fantastic and delicious, and i highly recommend it. and plan on using it many, many more times. as always, recipe to follow the pics. oh and as an aside, i would like to take this opportunity to thank my mother for gifting me with a wok a few years ago that i then schlepped back to the states from germany.


soaking the rice noodles.



chicken, garlic, and eggs cooking in the wok. in this part, i changed the recipe and used 2 eggs instead of the designated 3. i just felt like 3 seemed like a lot of egg, and i was very pleased with the outcome.


cooking the noodles, sprouts, and onion in the wok (in the sauce mixture).


everything heating up together.


the final product, garnished with (somewhat) chopped peanuts and a lime wedge. i did not add cilantro as the recipe calls for, only because i did not have any. i did however add chilli flakes, because i like a little spice in my life. delicious!

Classic Pad Thai with Chicken and Tofu (serves 4)
Banh Pho Rice Noodles 1/2 lb or enough for 4 people
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 cup of cubed, firm tofu
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of Fish Sauce
2 tablespoons of Tamarind Paste, soaked in 2-3 tablespoons of warm water for 10 minutes
1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 spring onions, green and white parts roughly chopped

To Garnish:
One handful of chopped coriander
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
1 lime, quartered

Prepare all of the ingredients before you start cooking, as the stir fry process goes quite quickly. Soak the noodles in warm water for 20-25 minutes prior to cooking. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and mix in a bowl with the sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the fish sauce and soy sauce. Strain the tamarind mixture and add it to this bowl as well. In a third bowl, beat the three eggs lightly and reserve.

Heat a wok on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the garlic. Stir fry for about a minute or just until the garlic browns. Add the chicken and allow it to sear for about 30-seconds, and stir fry for an additional 1-2 minutes to cook. Add the tofu cubes and sear them as well for 1-2 minutes. Pour over the egg mixture and allow it to set for 2-3 minutes. Carefully break up the egg with a wooden spoon. Remove the egg and chicken mixture from the wok and reserve.

Rinse the wok and place back over high heat. Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil, and, when it is hot, add the drained noodles. Allow them to fry for about a minute. Add the tamarind and soy sauce mixture and stir. Add the bean sprouts and green onions and stir the mixture for another 30 seconds. Add back the chicken and tofu, cook for another couple minutes and serve with coriander, peanuts, and lime wedges. Enjoy!

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