Pad Thai

INGREDIENTS

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 fl oz nahm prik pao (see recipe)

  • 1/2 cup fish sauce

  • 1/2 cup palm sugar

  • 3 tbsp tamarind paste (have 2 tbsp extra hand)

  • 2 tbsp lime juice

  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

  • 2 tbsp sweet paprika NOT SMOKED

  • as needed sweet paprika for garnish

Pad Thai

  • 12 oz rice noodles, 1/4inch thick

  • 1 fl oz vegetable oil

  • 8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 15 g garlic, minced

  • 1 ea leek, julienned

  • 3 ea eggs, beaten slightly

  • 2 ea green onions, 1inch long julienne strips

  • 9 oz bean sprouts

  • 1.25 oz cilantro, chiffonade (plus more for garnish)

Garnish

  • as needed cilantro sprigs

  • 2 1/2 oz peanuts, toasted and coarsely chop

  • as needed sweet paprika

  • 5 ea lime wedges

  • as needed carrot spirals

Directions

Prep

  1. Whisk together nahm prik pao, fish sauce, sugar, taramind, lime juice, rice wine vinegar and paprika.

  2. Set sauce aside for service.

  3. Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes and drain well. Set aside for service.

Service

  1. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.

  2. Add the leeks and stir-fry until the leek brightens in color and softens slightly.

  3. Add the garlic until it becomes golden, but not brown.

  4. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for 1 minute.

  5. Stir in half the sauce to coat shrimp.

  6. Add the noodles and stir fry until soft.

  7. Taste and add more sauce, if needed. Not all sauce is necessary.

  8. In a separate saute pan, scramble the eggs until cooked then add to wok with noodles.

  9. Fold in the 7oz sprouts and cilantro.

  10. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.

  11. Lay pad thai on a platter or bowl.

  12. Sprinkle on top: more cilantro, paprika, and peanuts. Add 2oz bean sprouts in a pile on the side.

  13. Add lime wedges and carrot ribbons. Serve.

NAHM PRIK PAO

Yields 1.5 cups

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup canola oil

  • 12 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 cup shallots, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup red chili flakes

  • 3 tsp shrimp paste

  • 6 tbsp fish sauce

  • 1/2 cup palm sugar

  • 3 tsp taramind paste

  • 4 1/2 tbsp lime juice

  • 3 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat.

  2. Add garlic and shallots, frying until they turn a very light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Remove garlic and shallots with a slotted spoon from the oil and set in a bowl to cool.

  4. Leave remaining oil in the pan.

  5. In a food processor, combine the red chili flakes& shrimp paste.

  6. Add fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, water, fried garlic and shallots.

  7. Pulse together to form a thick paste but do not over-process.

  8. Return this paste to your frying pan, and stir it into the oil over low heat.

  9. Gently simmer until you get a fairly even consistency.

  10. Adjust the consistency by adding a little more water if you find it too thick.

  11. Or add more oil if you prefer a "shinier" sauce.

  12. Adjust the taste, adding more fish sauce or sugar, as needed.

A favorite of

Jessica Sigmundsson