Chicken Pad Thai (Thai Fried Noodles), is one of the most popular recipes in the Thai kitchen. Bean sprouts are mixed with hot, spicy noodles for a cool and crisp contrast to the meal.
A fancier palace-style version of this dish is Mee grop. This features a towering pile of crisp fried rice noodles mixed with green onions brushes, red chili flowers and a confetti of garlic, bean sprouts and chives. It is often served at weddings and other special occasions.
Rice noodles are available in Asian grocery stores. The brown, sticky pulp of the tamarind pod is often sold in jars or cans at Asian markets to add a sweet-sour taste to Thai dishes. Palm sugar is a caramel-flavored sugar made from the coconut palms, often sold in cans or jars. Brown sugar may be substituted.
To make a Vegetarian pad Thai, substitute tofu for the chicken, or leave out the meat completely.
Chicken Pad Thai
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comIngredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 lime juice only
- 1/4 cup Asian hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind sauce
- 2-3 chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 1 bag thin rice noodles soaked in water
Garnish
- 2 green onions cut into 1-inch length
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Instructions
- Heat oil in wok or large pan.
- Place all three sugars in pan and cook for a few minutes.
- While stirring, add shallots, garlic, lime juice, hot sauce and tamarind sauce to the sauce. Add chicken and cook until done. Add noodles and quickly incorporate into sauce until medium soft, but not too soft.
- Place desired amount on large plate and garnish with green onions, chopped roasted peanuts, bean sprouts and slices of lime.
