Pad Thai (Chef Hong Thaimee)

Chef brings you the best and last pad thai recipe you'll need.

Ingredients

Sauce (use less if only making one batch of noodles)

• ½ cup tamarind paste (or purée)

• ½ cup palm sugar

• ½ cup fish sauce, golden boy brand

Pad Thai

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons

• 2 small shallots, finely chopped, about 2 tablespoons

• 1 tablespoon pickled turnip (store-bought, in a jar)

• 4 jumbo (6-8 count/pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined or chicken

• 2 large eggs, preferably farm-fresh

• 2 cups rice stick noodles, erawan brand

• 1/2 cup extra-firm tofu, diced

• ½ cup chives, cut into 1-inch lengths

• ½ cup bean sprouts

• 2 tablespoons peanuts, crushed

Directions

1. Immerse rice stick noodles in a shallow dish of room temperature water until just al dente. This may take 45 minutes, depending on the noodles. Do not use hot or warm water—this will turn the noodles mushy. Keep noodles in water till ready to use.

2. Combine tamarind paste, palm sugar, and fish sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and reduce for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens (it should be thick enough to cover the back of a spoon). Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or iron skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and pickled turnip and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute (do not brown).

4. Add the shrimp or chicken and lightly cook, stirring, for about 1-2 minutes, until slight pink / browned. Remove and place cooked meat into a bowl. Set aside.

5. Increase heat to high and crack the eggs over the garlic and shallots. Break the yolk and stir gently, but do not scramble.

6. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

7. Add the noodles and 3-4 tablespoons of sauce when eggs are fully cooked. Stir until the noodles have softened and are coated with the sauce and egg mixture. Add the cooked shrimp and tofu.

8. Mix well. Stir in the chives, bean sprouts, and peanuts. Remove from heat.

9. Serve on a platter garnished with a sprinkle of ground dried red chili pepper and a wedge of lime.

Adapted from Chef Hong Thaimee.