Save to magazine
+ Add to new magazine

Add to Magazine

Saved to magazine

Foodrhythms

About Recipe

If you like your Pad Thai real sweet, this is not the recipe for you. If you like your Pad Thai heavy with sauce, this is not the recipe for you. However, if you like your Pad Thai sublimely complex, with just the right amount of unique and clear flavors vying for attention on your tongue, you need to give this recipe a whirl. For my family, this is really The Best Pad Thai.

Ingredients

Ingredients 2 TB tamarind paste 3/4 cup boiling water 3 TB fish sauce 1 TB rice vinegar 3 TB sugar 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper 4 T peanut or vegetable oil 8 ounces dried rice stick noodles , 1/8 inch wide (width of linguine) 2 large eggs 1/4 tsp salt 12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press or minced (1 TB) 1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 TB) 2 TB dried shrimp, chopped fine (optional) 2 TB chopped Thai salted preserved radish 6 TB chopped roasted unsalted peanuts 3 cups (6 ounces) bean sprouts 5 medium scallions, green parts only, sliced think on sharp bias 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional) Lime wedges for serving

Cooking Procedure

1

n n Instructionsn n n Rehydrate tamarind paste in boiling water (Soak for 10 minutes, then push it through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and fibers and extract as much pulp as possible).n n Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne and 2 TB oil into tamarind liquid and set aside.n n Cover rice sticks with hot tap water in large bowl; soak until softened, pliable and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes.n n Drain noodles and set aside.n n Beat eggs and 1/8 tsp salt in small bowl; set asiden n Heat 1 TB oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke, about 2 minutes.n n Add shrimp and sprinkle with remaining 1/8 tsp salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and browned around the edges, about 3 minutes.n n Transfer shrimp to a plate and set asiden n Off heat, add remaining TB oil to skillet and swirl to coat; add garlic and shallot, set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until light golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes; add eggs to skillet and stir vigorously with wooden spoon until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds.n n Add noodles, dried shrimp, and salted radish to eggs; toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine.n n Pour fish sauce mixture over noodles, increase heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are evenly coated.n n Scatter 1/4 cup peanuts, bean sprouts, all but 1/4 cup scallions and cooked shrimp over noodles; continue to cook, tossing constantly until noodles are tender, about 2 1/2 minutes (if not yet tender add 2 TB water to skillet and continue to cook until tender).n n Transfer noodles to serving platter, sprinkle with remaining scallions, 2 TB peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.n nnn By Cook's Illustrated, July & August 2002n

See Recipe Procedure

Tags

More Of Main-course Recipes

See All

More Of Vegetarian Recipes

See All
foodrhythms