Guardian Pad Thai Food

PAD THAI

Steps:

• For the Pad Thai Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, vinegar, paprika and chili sauce. Set aside.
• For the Pad Thai: Soak the noodles in enough warm water to cover for 1 hour.
• If using, cut the banana leaf into round shapes using an overturned bowl. Place on the serving platter and hold for plating.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil and coat the skillet completely. When the skillet starts to smoke, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 seconds. Add the tofu and dried shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Push ingredients in the skillet to one side and let the oil settle in the center of skillet. Crack the eggs into the oil and let set until half-cooked, about 30 seconds, then lightly scramble. Combine with the remaining cooked ingredients in the skillet, scraping the bits from the bottom before they burn. Add 3 cups of the drained noodles and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve the noodle soaking water.
• Add the salted turnip and shrimp. Cook until both the chicken and shrimp are at medium doneness, about 1 minute. Add the sauce and fold together until all the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Place half of the bean sprouts, half of the crushed peanuts and the garlic chives (or scallions) in the center of noodles, and then spoon some noodles over them to cover and let steam for 30 seconds. If the skillet seems dry, add a small amount of the noodle soaking water. Transfer to a serving plate with the banana leaf circle, and garnish with the remaining bean sprouts, peanuts and lime.

VEGETARIAN PAD THAI

Steps:

• For the noodles: Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.
• For the sauce: Stir together the brown sugar, tamarind, sriracha, lime juice and soy sauce in a small bowl until well combined.
• For the stir fry: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Push the tofu and shallots to the side, allowing the excess oil to drip down into the middle of the skillet.
• Add the beaten egg to the middle of the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and chopping to break it up, until cooked through, about 30 seconds. Add the peppers and cook just to soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked noodles, bean sprouts, scallions and sauce to the skillet. Combine the tofu and egg into the ingredients and stir-fry, coating the ingredients with the sauce, and simmer to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pile the stir fry onto a serving plate and top with the peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.