Pad Thai With Banana Flower 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.

QUICK AND EASY PANSIT

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.
• Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, garlic and mushrooms to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender.
• Add chicken, carrots, peas and beans; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
• Stir in sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper and noodles. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC PAD THAI RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in room temperature water 30 minutes prior to cooking.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together palm sugar, tamarind paste, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and reduce for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove sauce from heat and set aside.
• Heat a cast-iron pan or wok over high heat.
• Add oil and chicken and cook for about two minutes until nearly cooked through and nicely seared on all sides.
• Add minced garlic, shallots, and turnips to the chicken and stir to incorporate.
• Move the chicken to the side of the pan and add the egg. Break the egg up with a spatula or wooden spoon and stir to scramble.
• Add soaked rice noodles and stir to evenly incorporate all ingredients, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reduced sauce and stir.
• Add tofu, Chinese chives or green onions, and bean sprouts. Stir to incorporate and remove from heat.
• Serve immediately with lime, peanuts, more sprouts and chives, and red chiles, if desired.
• Enjoy!

AUTHENTIC PAD THAI NOODLES

Steps:

• Soak rice vermicelli noodles in a bowl filled with hot water until softened, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
• Heat peanut oil over medium heat in a large wok.
• Cook and stir tofu in the wok, turning the pieces until they are golden on all sides.
• Remove tofu with a slotted spoon and drain on plate lined with paper towels.
• Pour all but 1 tablespoon of used oil from the wok into a small bowl; it will be used again in a later step.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over medium heat until it starts to sizzle.
• Pour in beaten egg and lightly toss in the hot oil to scramble the egg.
• Remove egg from the wok and set aside.
• Pour reserved peanut oil in the small bowl back into the wok.
• Toss garlic and drained noodles in wok until they are coated with oil.
• Stir in vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar. Toss and gently push noodles around the pan to coat with sauce.
• Gently mix in tofu, scrambled egg, salt, chili flakes, and 3 tablespoons peanuts; toss to mix all ingredients.
• Mix in bean sprouts and green onions, reserving about 1 tablespoon of each for garnish. Cook and stir until bean sprouts have softened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Arrange noodles on a warm serving platter and garnish with 3 tablespoons peanuts and reserved bean sprouts and green onions. Place lime wedges around the edges of the platter.

PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.
• Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Saute chicken until browned. Remove, and set aside. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes.

AUTHENTIC PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with several inches of room temperature water; let soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain.
• Whisk sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil and minced garlic in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir in eggs; scramble until eggs are nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken breast slices and rice noodles; stir to combine.
• Stir in tamarind mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; cook until noodles are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with bean sprouts, chives, paprika, and lime wedges.

CLASSIC VIETNAMESE BANANA FLOWER SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet. Sauté the shallots until golden brown. Leave them in the oil, and set aside to cool.
• Squeeze fresh lime juice into the bowl of water. This will be used to prevent the banana flower slices from turning brown.
• Peel back the dark purple layers of the banana flower until you reach layers with just a hint of purple. Using a mandoline, slice the banana flower into thin rings, beginning at the point and slicing about three-quarters of the way down. The rings will look similar to onion rings. Immediately soak the rings in the lime water until ready to use. Set aside.
• Once the oil is cool, mix in half of the mint leaves and half of the Thai basil with the sautéed shallots.
• Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Heat lovers will want to add more chili.
• When you slice the banana flower, you will end up with small bits from the center of the flower. Strain these out using a spoon. Don't worry if you don't get all of them. Remove the banana flower from the water, and combine with the shallot/mint/basil mixture, chopped peanuts, and remainder of the fresh mint and basil.
• Toss in the dressing, and serve.

PAD THAI WITH BANANA FLOWER

Steps:

• By far, the trickiest part is the soaked noodles. Noodles should be somewhat flexible and solid, not completely expanded and soft. When in doubt, undersoak. You can always add more water in the pan, but you can't take it out.
• In this recipe, pre-ground pepper, particularly pre-ground white pepper is better than fresh ground pepper.
• Tamarind adds some flavor and acidity, but you can substitute white vinegar.
• If you decided to include banana flower, cut lengthwise into sections (like orange sections). Rub any open cut with lime or lemon juice to prevent it from turning dark.
• The original Pad Thai recipe calls for crushed roasted peanuts. Many people in Thailand avoid eating peanuts because of its link to cancer.
• Soak the dry noodles in lukewarm water while preparing the other ingredients, for 5-10 minutes.
• Julienne tofu and cut into 1 inch long matchsticks. When cut, the extra firm tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency.
• Cut up Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish.
• Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together.
• Use a wok. If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do. Heat it up on high heat and pour oil in the wok. Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove them from the wok.
• Add shallot, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to brown.
• The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep things from sticking.
• Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce, chili pepper and preserved turnip. Stir. The heat should remain high.
• If your wok is not hot enough, you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point. Turn up the heat, if it is the case.
• Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles.
• Add shrimp and stir.
• Add bean sprouts, chives. Stir a few more times.
• The noodles should be soft and very tangled.
• Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve hot with the banana flower slice and a wedge of lime on the side and raw Chinese chives and raw bean sprouts on top.
• In Thailand, condiments such as sugar, chili pepper, vinegar and fish sauce are available at your table for your personal taste. Some people add more pepper or sugar at this point.

PAD THAI WITH CHICKEN AND SHRIMP

Steps:

• Place noodles in large bowl and cover with boiling water for about 10 minutes.
• Drain.
• Set aside.
• Mix together fish sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, chili-garlic sauce and sugar.
• Set aside.
• Cut chicken into 1" cubes.
• Peel and de-vein raw shrimp and chop coarsely.
• Finely chop garlic.
• Heat peanut oil in large frying pan or wok.
• Add garlic, chicken, shrimp and red pepper flakes.
• Stir until shrimp turns pink.
• Add sauce mixture and stir for 3 more minutes.
• Add beaten eggs and stir constantly for one minute.
• Add drained rice noodles and toss until coated.
• Stir in bean sprouts, onions and 1/2 cup cilantro.
• Stir and toss for a minute or so, until heated.
• Spoon out onto large serving platter.
• Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and remaining cilantro.
• Top with slices or wedges of lime, which will be used to squeeze over noodles upon serving.

PAD THAI WITH TOFU

Steps:

• To prepare sauce, in a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.
• To prepare noodles, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, carrot, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
• Add sauce and tofu; cook 1 minute.
• Stir in coconut milk; cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in next 6 ingredients (lettuce through noodles); cook 1 minute.
• Serve with lime wedges.

PAD THAI WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the noodles in a pot of water on the stove, bring it to a near boil, then remove from heat and set aside.
• In a bowl, add the fish sauce, tamarind paste and water, chili sauce, and brown sugar. Set the pad Thai sauce aside.
• In a small bowl, places the slices of chicken and pour the cornstarch/soy sauce mixture over the chicken. Mix well and set aside.
• Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and set them aside.
• In a wok over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and marinade and stir-fry for a minute. Add the chicken stock and tablespoons at a time, enough to keep the chicken cooking, continuing until all of the stock has been added, cooking for a total of 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add the noodles, pad Thai sauce, and toss the noodles with 2 spatulas or spoons for 2 minutes.
• Add the black pepper and bean sprouts and toss for another minutes. Taste to test the seasoning; you may need to add another tablespoons of fish sauce.
• Serve by topping the noodles with the spring onion, coriader, and nuts. Add the fresh lime wedges and serve with a bottle of Thai chili sauce on the side.