Pad Thai

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-oz) pkg rice noodles (rice sticks, rice vermicelli)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 6 oz (1 breast) cooked chicken, sliced*
  • 4 oz cooked medium shrimp (¼ lb), peeled & deveined*
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp tamarind juice (reconstituted tamarind paste or white vinegar)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • ¾ cup bean sprouts
  • 2 scallions, trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
  • ¾ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

Garnish

  • lime wedges
  • ground unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
  • dried Thai chiles

Special Equipment

  • wok or large skillet

How-to

Soak Noodles

  1. Soak the noodles in cold water for 4 hours, then drain before using.  (This 4 hour process yields the best noodle texture for this dish but if you are in a hurry, soak noodles in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain before using)

Prepare Pad Thai

  1. Heat the oil in a wok or pan on medium heat
  2. Add egg and stir-fry until egg is cooked (scrambled)
  3. Add noodles, stirring constantly until noodles have softened
  4. Add cooked chicken and shrimp and stir-fry for an additional 1-2 minutes
  5. Add fish sauce, tamarind juice and sugar cook for 2 minutes or until liquid is gone
  6. Turn off heat and mix in peanuts, bean sprouts and scallions
  7. To serve, place noodles on plates, top with shrimp and chicken, garnish with ground peanuts, ground Thai chiles, bean sprouts lime wedges

* Can substitute tofu or vegetables for shrimp and chicken