andynap
Senior Insider
Today was our 34th Wedding Anniversary and I had all kinds of places to go for dinner but Phyllis nixed that and asked for my Shrimp Pad Thai instead. So I did it- if there is an Asian Grocery near you have most of the ingredients which will last for a while. The prep is a bear but the end product is worth it.
The ingredients- some doubled up-
The dish
Dessert-
The recipe from America's Test Kitchen
Pad Thai (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp tamarind paste or substitute (see note at bottom of recipe)
3/4 cup boiling water
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
8 oz dried rice stick noodles, about 1/4 inch wide
2 large eggs
salt
12 oz medium (40-50/lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tbsp dried shrimp, chopped fine (optional)
2 tbsp chopped Thai salted preserved radish (optional)
6 tbsp chopped, unsalted roasted peanuts
3 cups (6 oz) bean sprouts
8 oz tofu (optional)
5 medium scallions, greens parts only, sliced thin on a sharp diagonal
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)
lime wedges for garnish
1. Rehydreate the tamarind paste in boiling water (see note below). Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tbsp of the oil into the tamarind liquid. Set aside.
2. If using tofu, blot it well by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and pressing it until the towel is moist. Then cut into 1/2 cubes.
3. Cover the rice sticks with hot tap water in a large bowl and soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside. Beat the eggs and 1/8 tsp salt in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 12-inch skillet (preferably non-stick) over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and browned aout the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
5. Off the heat, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, set the skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly until light golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet and stir vigorously until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds. Add the rice noodles, the radish, and the dried shrimp (if using) to the eggs, toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine. Pour the fish sauce mixture over the noodles, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly until the noodles are evenly coated. Scatter 1/4 cup of peanuts, the bean sprouts, all but 1/4 cup of the scallions, tofu, and the cooked shrimp (if using) over the noodles, continue to cook, tossing constantly until the noodles are tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. (If not yet tender, add 2 tbsp of water to the skillet and continue to cook until tender.)
6. Transfer the noodles to a serving platte and sprinkle with the remaining scallions, the reamining 2 tbsp peanuts, and the cilantro (if using). Serve immediately, passing the lime wedges separately.
Tamarind options: 1) use tamarind paste or pulp (preferred method), soaking 2 tbsp of it in 3/4 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, then push through a mesh strainer to remove seeds and fibers; 2) mix 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate with 2/3 cup hot water; 3) combine 1/3 cup lime juice with 1/3 cup water and substitute brown sugar for white in the recipe (do not serve with lime wedges or it will be too lime-y)
The ingredients- some doubled up-
The dish
Dessert-
The recipe from America's Test Kitchen
Pad Thai (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp tamarind paste or substitute (see note at bottom of recipe)
3/4 cup boiling water
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
8 oz dried rice stick noodles, about 1/4 inch wide
2 large eggs
salt
12 oz medium (40-50/lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tbsp dried shrimp, chopped fine (optional)
2 tbsp chopped Thai salted preserved radish (optional)
6 tbsp chopped, unsalted roasted peanuts
3 cups (6 oz) bean sprouts
8 oz tofu (optional)
5 medium scallions, greens parts only, sliced thin on a sharp diagonal
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)
lime wedges for garnish
1. Rehydreate the tamarind paste in boiling water (see note below). Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tbsp of the oil into the tamarind liquid. Set aside.
2. If using tofu, blot it well by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and pressing it until the towel is moist. Then cut into 1/2 cubes.
3. Cover the rice sticks with hot tap water in a large bowl and soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside. Beat the eggs and 1/8 tsp salt in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 12-inch skillet (preferably non-stick) over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and browned aout the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
5. Off the heat, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, set the skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly until light golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet and stir vigorously until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds. Add the rice noodles, the radish, and the dried shrimp (if using) to the eggs, toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine. Pour the fish sauce mixture over the noodles, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly until the noodles are evenly coated. Scatter 1/4 cup of peanuts, the bean sprouts, all but 1/4 cup of the scallions, tofu, and the cooked shrimp (if using) over the noodles, continue to cook, tossing constantly until the noodles are tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. (If not yet tender, add 2 tbsp of water to the skillet and continue to cook until tender.)
6. Transfer the noodles to a serving platte and sprinkle with the remaining scallions, the reamining 2 tbsp peanuts, and the cilantro (if using). Serve immediately, passing the lime wedges separately.
Tamarind options: 1) use tamarind paste or pulp (preferred method), soaking 2 tbsp of it in 3/4 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, then push through a mesh strainer to remove seeds and fibers; 2) mix 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate with 2/3 cup hot water; 3) combine 1/3 cup lime juice with 1/3 cup water and substitute brown sugar for white in the recipe (do not serve with lime wedges or it will be too lime-y)
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