Pad Thai
Serves 4
- 125g/4.41ozs. rice noodles, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes until starting to soften
- Oil for frying
- 250g/0.5lb. prawns, heads and shells removed
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, julienned finely
- 2 tablespoons sweet preserved turnip* washed with some warm water and then squeezed and drained
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup garlic chives cut into inch long pieces
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts
Sauce 1 (stir fry sauce)
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 1.5 tablespoons Thai sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons palm sugar
Sauce 2 (pad thai sauce)
- 3 coriander roots, well washed and finely chopped
- 150g/5ozs. garlic, peeled and chopped
- 150g/5ozs. shallots, peeled and chopped
- 50g/1.7ozs. dried large chillies (not small, they're too hot)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 4 cups water
- 240g/8.5ozs. palm sugar, sliced
- 220g/7.7ozs. tamarind puree
***Sweet preserved turnip, garlic chives and tamarind puree are available at Thai grocery stores. I bought them at Pontip in Campbell Street in Haymarket.
Two types of tamarind: on the left you soak half a packet in 2 cups of hot water and squeeze the pips out and strain it. On the right it is already done. The one on the right is thinner in texture but brighter red.**
Step 1 - Start on the Pad Thai sauce because it takes a while to cook but once you have it, it can keep for up to a month in an airtight container. It makes a lot of sauce but since it takes about an hour, I figured it was worth it and you can always give some away to friends. Place the coriander roots, garlic, shallots, chillies, salt and water in a medium sized pot and boil for 30 minutes uncovered.
Much of the water will evaporate. Blend this mix in a food processor. Add the sugar and tamarind puree and process until smooth. Place back on low to medium heat to cook for another 30 minutes making sure that it doesn't boil rapidly - we don't want the sugar to caramelise as we want this to retain its sourness.
Step 2 - Mix all of the ingredients for the stir fry sauce in a cup and have it ready.
Step 3 - Heat the wok or a large frypan. Drain the noodles and have all of the other ingredients ready to add to the wok as it is quick once you start cooking it. Heat the wok and add oil and fry the prawns until about 90% cooked through. Remove and set aside. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, then add the carrot and preserved turnip.
Push to one side of the pan and then break the eggs into the pan and scrambled and mix with the rest of the pan items. Add the noodles and add half of the stir fry sauce and gently mix to combine (you can use two wok ladles to lift and turn). Add the bean sprouts, garlic chives and then the prawns back into the pan. Add the pad thai sauce 1/4 cup at a time until it coats the noodles and keep adding until it has that magical taste of sour and sweet that is the hallmark of Pad Thai (I used about a cup of the sauce).
Step 4 - Remove from the pan and serve with extra bean sprouts, lime and topped with the peanuts. Serve immediately.