Pad Thai Eating Well Food

PAD THAI

Steps:

• Tip the noodles into a large bowl and pour over a kettle of boiling water until they are covered. Leave to stand for 5-10 mins until the noodles are soft, then drain well. (You can do this part ahead of time - then just run the noodles under cold water until cool, and toss through a little oil to stop them from sticking.) Next, mix together the tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl.
• Peel and finely chop the garlic. Trim the ends off the spring onions and cut into thin slices about 1cm long. Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. When it's really hot (a drop of water should sizzle straight away), pour in the oil and swirl around. Tip in garlic and spring onions. To stir-fry, take a spatula or tongs and toss the veg around the wok so they're moving all the time. Cook for 30 secs, just until they begin to soften.
• Push the vegetables to the sides of the wok, then crack the egg into the centre. Keep stirring the egg for 30 secs until it begins to set and resembles a broken-up omelette.
• Add the prawns and beansprouts, followed by the noodles, then pour over the fish sauce mixture. Toss everything together and heat through. Spoon out onto plates. Serve with some chopped peanuts sprinkled over and wedges of lime.

AUTHENTIC PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak the noodles in warm water for about 20 mins until softened but with plenty of bite, then drain. Meanwhile, mix together the tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice until the sugar dissolves. Season with a pinch of chilli powder if you like it spicy. Can be made up to two weeks ahead and kept in the fridge. If you make pad Thai regularly, double the quantity and keep half.
• Heat half the oil in a frying pan and cook the tofu on each side until golden. Add the prawns and fry until they just start to turn pink. Tip the noodles into the pan and drizzle over the tamarind mixture with about 5 tbsp of water. Stir everything together and cook over a high heat for 3 mins until the noodles are just cooked. Add a splash more water if needed.
• When the sauce has reduced, scatter over the beansprouts and fold them into the noodles. Push everything to one side of the pan, then pour in the rest of the oil on the empty side and crack in the eggs. Fry for 2 mins until the white is just set and beginning to crisp around the edges, then roughly scramble the runny yolks in with the whites. When the eggs have just set, combine with the noodles.
• Scatter over half of the peanuts, half the spring onion and all the turnip, and quickly toss together. Divide between two plates with the remaining peanuts, spring onion, chilli powder, lime wedges and soy sauce on the side, to garnish as preferred.

PAD THAI (EATING WELL)

Steps:

• Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water; soak until limp, about 20 minutes.
• Heat oil over high heat in a wok until very hot.
• Add garlic and stir-fry until golden, about 10 seconds.
• Add egg and cook, stirring, until scrambled, about 30 seconds.
• Add shrimp and stir-fry until they curl and turn pink, about 2 minutes.
• Drain the noodles and add to the wok, tossing with tongs until they soften and curl, about 1 minute.
• Add bean sprouts, scallions greens, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and chile-garlic sauce; toss until the shrimp are fully cooked and the noodles are heated through, 1-2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.
• 354 calories, 9 g fat, 50 g carb, 3 g fiber.