Instructions: Soak the dried rice noodles in tap water for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the noodles are limp but still firm. While the noodles are soaking, prepare the rest of the ingredients for the stir-fry.

When ready to make your pad thai, drain the soaked noodles and heat a wok over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the oil and swirl to coat the wok surface. Allow the oil to heat up. When hot, toss in the chopped garlic and sliced shallots (or onion) and saute 10 to 15 seconds. Add the pork (if using), stir, cook a few seconds, then add the tofu. Saute another 10 to 15 seconds and follow with the shrimps. Stir. Then add the dried shrimps, chopped sweetened-salted radish and hot pepper flakes. Stir and mix well.

Toss in the noodles and stir-fry with the ingredients already in the wok. After one to two minutes, or when the noodles begin to change texture and soften, push the mass up along the side of the wok, add a teaspoon of oil to the cleared area and allow to heat up a few seconds. Crack the eggs into the oiled area, using the edge of the spatula to break the yolks. Allow the eggs to set, turning them over as needed until they are cooked. Avoid scrambling. When the eggs are set, cut with the spatula into small chunks and toss in with the noodles.

Sprinkle fish sauce and sugar over the noodles. Mix well, then add the vinegar and continue to stir-fry. If the noodles feel dry and still too firm to your liking, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of water over them. Add the chopped roasted peanuts, stir, then toss in the bean sprouts and chives. Stir well and cook until the vegetables are partially wilted. Taste and adjust flavors to the desired salty-sweet combination.

Transfer noodles onto a serving platter, or dish onto individual dinner plates. Serve with raw bean sprouts, lime wedges, extra chopped peanuts, cilantro and green onions. Before eating, squeeze lime juice over each serving. Serve while still warm.

As a one-dish meal for breakfast or lunch, this recipe makes enough for 2 to 4 servings.

Notes and Pointers:
Pad Thai and noodle dishes do not lie at the heart of Thai cuisine - they are fast food like hamburgers and hot dogs in the west. Pad Thai, in fact, is not the Thai peoples favorite noodled dish.

You might be interested to know that there are as many ways to make pad thai noodles as there are cooks, geographical regions and moods. Instead of vinegar and granulated sugar, for one instance, other sources of sour and sweet may be used, such as tamarind and palm sugar. In Thailand many noodle shops and restaurants use light soy sauce instead of fish sauce; sweetened black soy sauce in combination with sugar; or usually ground dried chiles made from darkly roasted whole chiles. American restaurants frequently use ketchup in their pad Thai.

If you prefer softer noodles, soak dried noodles in hot water. However, with some brands of noodles, this may result in soggy pad thai. If you prefer your noodles al dente, it is preferable to soak in cool tap water, adding liquid to the stir-fry as needed to cook to the desired texture.

The pad thai served in many American Thai restaurants is liberally flavored with ketchup. Use this ingredient if you wish as some cookbooks advise, though it is the exception rather than the rule in Thailand. Some noodle shops use black soy (the semi-sweet kind) in their pad thai; others use the orange chilli sauce called prik Sriracha. Textures and oiliness can vary, too, so play around with the recipe to get the combination of flavors and textures you prefer. Add your own touches to create your own version.

NOTES :

Author: Kasma Loha-unchit
Website: http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipe.html

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