Easy & Authentic Pad Thai Noodles (with Shrimp)

This recipe for Pad Thai noodles is both authentic and easy. The pad Thai sauce is simple to make; in fact, while you're at it, double or triple the sauce recipe and keep the extra in your refrigerator for future pad thai noodle dishes. Aside from getting the sauce right, the secret to great pad thai is all in the noodles. Be sure to soak them in hot water (never boil them) before stir-frying - that way you'll have perfectly chewy (and slightly sticky) pad thai that is simply wonderful. ENJOY!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

• SERVES 2
• 8 oz. Thai rice noodles (linguini width), or enough for 2 people
• 1-2 cups raw (or cooked) shrimp, shells removed
• 1 shallot (OR 1/4 cup purple onion), finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 2-3 cups bean sprouts
• 1/8 tsp. ground white pepper (OR substitute black pepper)
• 3 green onions, sliced finely
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander/cilantro
• 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, ground or chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying
• 3 Tbsp. chicken stock
• wedges of lime for serving
• PAD THAI SAUCE: (*If making more than 8 oz. noodles, see tip below)
• 3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste (available at Asian/Indian food stores)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 2+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian food stores)
• 1-3 tsp. chili sauce (to taste)
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, then remove from heat. Dunk in the rice noodles. Soak (do not boil) the noodles until soft enough to eat, but still firm and a little "crunchy". Drain and rinse the noodles thoroughly with cold water. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl or cup, dissolve the tamarind paste in the hot water. Then add the other sauce ingredients, stirring well. (Add as much or as little chili sauce as you prefer, but don't skimp on the sugar - it is needed to balance out the sourness of the tamarind.) Set aside.
3. Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. oil, then add the shallots and garlic. Stir-fry 1 minute.
4. Add the shrimp plus 2-3 Tbsp. chicken stock. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and plump. (Note:If using cooked shrimp, only stir-fry 1 minute.)
5. Push ingredients aside, making room in the center of your wok/pan. Add another 1 Tbsp. oil, then crack in the egg. Stir-fry to scramble (30 seconds to 1 minute).
6. Add the drained noodles and drizzle over the pad thai sauce. Use 2 utensils and a gentle "tossing" motion to stir-fry everything together (like tossing a salad). Keep the heat between medium and medium-high - you want your pan hot enough to cook the noodles, but not so hot that the bottom of your pan burns.
7. Stir-fry 4-6 minutes, or until noodles are chewy-delicious and a little bit sticky.
8. Remove from heat and taste-test, adding more fish sauce until desired taste is achieved (I usually add another 1-2 Tbsp., but I like mine a little salty).
9. Sprinkle over the green onion, coriander, and peanuts, and garnish with lime wedges (these should be squeezed over before eating). Thai chili sauce can also be served on the side for those who like it extra spicy. ENJOY!

Tip: When making more than 8 oz. of noodles, I usually double (or even triple) the pad thai sauce recipe. Then, as I'm stir-frying the noodles, I keep drizzling over the sauce until I'm happy with the taste (I also add extra fish sauce). Any leftover pad thai sauce can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

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