Pad Thai II

2/27/08 - I finally got pretty good results!!!! I tried once following the recipe below fairly closely - it was OK - but there was not enough sauce. I tried it again doubling the amount of sauce and cutting the rest of the recipe in half - this seems to work! I didn't use all of the sauce, but I had enough to use an amount that seemed right, and then add a bit more. I had about 2 T left over. Also, I used green onions (the top 2/3ds - cut into inch long pieces) instead of garlic chives.

I cut the rest of the recipe in half to keep the amount that goes into the wok manageable so it will stir-fry rather than steaming (unless you have a huge wok and a big flame - I do not) If there is too much stuff in the wok, the temp. goes down and things steam and get soggy. If you need more than half this recipe makes (2 big servings) work in batches - it only takes a few minutes to do each.

I have had good luck setting out all the ingredients, ready to throw in the wok in about the right order - because once you start, there isn't really time to chop, pour, or measure anything. I have burned the crap out of my shallots (you have to start over - it will taste nasty with burnt shallots) several times because of lack of preparation for the next step.

Since my last Pad Thai post I have taken two Thai cooking classes - one in the US and one in Thailand - and I have tried making pad thai 6 or7 times with various different recipes and techniques - and it is still a work in progress. Here is what I did tonight:

2 T Oil (I use canola)
2 shallots - minced
1 chicken breast - cut into .5 inch pieces
2 eggs - scrambled
rice stick noodles (5-6 oz.) - soaked in hot water (boil then remove from heat and add noodles) for about 5 minutes (test along the way - they are ready when softened but still have a bit of firmness - if they are left too long they will turn to mush in the wok) and then drained
.5 tsp chili flakes
1.5 C bean sprouts
3/4 C garlic chives cut into 1.5 inch lengths (scallions are fine)
2 T ground peanuts
1 lime cut into 1/8ths

sauce:
2 T tamarind pulp - (I have a thing of tamarind concentrate ($1.69 from Bangkok 54 in Arlington ) - this works well. I tried making pulp by mashing and straining dried tamarind pods once. It worked, but it took forever and there were still lumps after much effort with a mortar and pestle)
1 T Palm Sugar - (also from Bangkok 54 - good and cheap)
1T Fish sauce
pinch white pepper
smaller pinch salt


For sauce:

Combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan and heat (low to medi and stir until sugar dissolves (stinky!) - turn off heat and set aside.

-Heat oil in wok over medium high heat- add shallots and stir fry for about a minute - (be careful not to burn - I have burned the shallots here twice (2-27-08 - three times now))
- Add the chicken pieces- stir fry until no longer pink
- lower heat and add eggs - stir to scramble
- add noodles and chili flakes (not too much or the dish will steam and not stir fry) and stir fry for about a minute
- add sauce - stir fry for another minute (keep things moving to keep from burning in wok - I have had to add more oil here to keep things moving - I have also added a bit sherry or rice wine for this purpose)
- add half of the bean sprouts and half of the garlic chives - stir fry for another minute
- remove from heat, plate, garnish with remaining sprouts, chives, and peanuts and limes

serve with Thai chili sauce (this is important - a bit (start with a few shakes - .5t) of this stuff really brings it together)