Pad Thai

My Pad Thai used to be hit and miss - sometimes good, sometimes too sweet, sometimes too starchy, sometimes too clumpy. Last time I made it was especially disastrous and I vowed to find a recipe for consistently good Pad Thai.

After a quick internet search today, I found several positive reviews for Pim's Pad Thai for beginners. And let me tell you - Pim ROCKS!!! I learned so much from her tutorial - my pan wasn't hot enough, I wasn't using enough oil, I was overloading my pan, I wasn't using enough sauce, I was adding too many peanuts... Anyhoo, that's ancient history.

I followed her recipe and the result was outstanding!!! As good if not better than anything I've had in a Thai restaurant. My search for the perfect Pad Thai is over.

Here's my quick take on Pim's recipe but really, you should go read her post - extremely informative!



3 - 4 tablespoons canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
1 eggs
1/2 cup pad thai sauce (I had about 1/4 cup store-bought thai sauce and I combined about 1/8 cup of fish sauce, 1/8 cup of Worcestershire sauce and 3 tablespoons brown sugar - mix well and voilà!)
1 large handful (about 2 cups) rice noodles, softened in hot water for 30 minutes
2 or 3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped
1 cup beansprouts
2 or 3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Start with a smoking hot pan (I set it on high). Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of canola oil. Add chicken and stir vigorously so it doesn't burn. Careful not to get splattered with hot oil! Once chicken is half cooked, break in egg. Let cook undisturbed for 10 seconds then scramble lightly with chicken. Add 1/3 of the pad thai sauce and keep cooking and stirring for 30 seconds. Add rice noodles and remaining sauce. Keep cooking and stirring until noodles are soft (approximately 1 or 2 minutes). Add peanuts, bean sprouts, green onions and cilantro. Stir, serve and enjoy! :)

Yield: 2 portions