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AAF’s Recipe of the Day

Thai noodles? How about a Pad Thai recipe? This is the last of my Thai week. Enjoy (though tomorrow nite I’m doing the What’s for Dinner gig at the Big orange, and it’s all about how to master the art of Thai cooking)

10 oz dried flat Thai rice noodles - these noodles look similar to Italian linguini noodles, except made of rice, 8-12 raw tiger prawns, shell removed, 3 sliced shallots ,1-2 fresh minced green or red chillies, depending on desired spiciness (for milder noodles, omit chilli, or remove seeds) 2  free range eggs, the juice of 2 limes, 1 shredded bok choy,  1 cup bean sprouts,  1/2 cup ground or chopped peanuts (unsalted),  3 spring onions, finely sliced, 1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped,  3 tbsp peanut oil, a dash of Tamari (or soy sauce)

For the sauce you’ll need: 2 tbsp fish sauce (nam plah), 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp. palm sugar,  1/2 tbsp. tamarind paste mixed with 3 tbsp. water,  1-3 tsp. chili sauce, depending on how spicy you want your Pad Thai,

Soak rice noodles in a pot of cool water for 1 hour. Drain when ready to use. The noodles should still be firm and very chewy (they will finish cooking later, when they’re fried). Tip: Rice noodles are best when soaked to soften them, not boiled. However, if you’re in a hurry: bring a pot of water to the boil, then remove from heat and dunk in the noodles. Allow them to soak until nearly soft, but still firm and too crunchy to eat (10-15 minutes). Rinse with cold water and drain well.

Mix all sauce ingredients together in a cup until sugar dissolves. Set aside. Place remaining oil in wok. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry shallots and chilies until fragrant, roughly for 1 minute. Add shrimps and fry until pink (1-2 minutes). Add the chopped bok choy. Make a space in the center of the wok. Crack eggs into it and stir-fry (like scrambled eggs) until they’re cooked. Add a dash of oil and spread it around. Now add the noodles. As you stir-fry them, drizzle the sauce over a little at a time. Lift and turn the noodles very gently (or they will break up) to combine all the ingredients as you stir-fry (1-2 minutes). Add bean sprouts, mixing well and pour a little lime juice over it. The noodles are cooked when they are soft, but still chewy in texture. Serve on large plates and sprinkle with spring onions, ground nuts, and coriander and/or basil.