Okinawan Style Pad Thai Food

OKINAWAN-STYLE PAD THAI

Steps:

• Whisk together rice wine vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, oyster sauce, and tamarind pulp in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.
• Place rice noodles in a large bowl and pour enough cold water to cover noodles. Allow to soften, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir eggs and garlic in hot oil until eggs are softly cooked, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir chicken and noodles into eggs and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, about 5 minutes.
• Pour rice wine vinegar sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into the noodle mixture.
• Stir peanuts, ground radish, and chili powder into noodle mixture; cook until peanuts soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add more sugar or chili powder if desired.
• Remove from heat and toss chives with noodle mixture. Top with bean sprouts and garnish with lime wedges.

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.

BANGKOK STYLE CHICKEN PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place noodles in a large bowl. Add enough hot tap water to cover; let stand for 10 to 15 minutes or until pliable but not soft. Drain well in a colander.
• Meanwhile, for peanut topping, combine peanuts and lime peel; set aside.
• In a small bowl combine fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and chile sauce; stir until smooth. Set aside.
• In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir for 6 minutes until chicken is tender and no pink remains. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add egg to the hot skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Turn egg with spatula and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more, just until set. Remove and chop egg; set aside.
• In same skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over high heat for 30 seconds. Add drained noodles and sprouts; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add fish sauce mixture and chicken; cook 1 to 2 minutes more until heated through.
• Divide noodle mixture among four plates. Sprinkle each serving with egg and peanut topping. Garnish with green onion and cilantro.