SHRIMP PAD THAI

I wanted something quick and easy (story of my life right? Maybe I should just start all my recipe posts with that) to make while Mr. L and I were on our mini vacation last month. I didn't want cooking time to interfere with sitting on the deck and looking at the view so I tried another dish from the Martha Stewart's Great Fast Food book (which again, you MUST buy if you are looking for simple, fast meals).

Though this didn't taste like most of the Pad Thai dishes I've had at Thai restaurants, it was still pretty dang good. It did take a bit longer to prep than I expected but that might have something to do with cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen.

This is a bit spicy so you may want to be easy on the red pepper flakes if you don't like much heat. The noodle package I used was only 7 ounces. I didn't want to buy two packages to try to make the 8 ounces and it didn't seem to make that much of a difference. My noodles probably needed a bit more time than the three minutes recommended to soften (the book stresses not to overcook the noodles).

Absolutely prep everything ahead of time as recommended because once you start this dish it comes together pretty quickly. You will also need a fairly big pan as the one I used was a 12" and I barely had room to mix everything in the pan.

I forgot the fish sauce (I was planning on using it instead of the anchovies). The dish tasted fine without it but I'm sure it would add to the dish if you used it. Recipe notes state you can use fish sauce in place of the soy sauce and anchovies.

By the way, this made a great cold salad the next day!

SHRIMP PAD THAI

8 ounces rice-stick noodles
1/4 cup tomato-based chili sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
3 cups bean sprouts, plus more for garnish
8 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Assorted Garnishes, Optional:
1/3 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; remove from the heat. Stir in the noodles; let soak until softened (but still undercooked), 3 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water until cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the chili sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and anchovy paste. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp; cook, tossing often, until just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

Return the skilled to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil along with the noodles and chili sauce mixture; cook, tossing, until combined, about 1 minute. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, and shrimp. Pour in the egg; toss until the noodles are coated and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve topped with garnishes, if desired. SERVES 6

Note: I used a 7 ounce package of noodles, jarred chili sauce, frozen raw shrimp in a bag. I did not use any bean sprouts as a garnish.

Note: Makes a great leftover cold salad.

Comments

[Mom]

That looks real good and tempting. I love shrimp.

[noble pig]

I LURVE pad thai! This looks amazing and the easier the better!

[Jan]

Mmmmm....this looks good. I am going to give it a try.

[grace]

is cilantro a common ingredient in pad thai? if so, i need to go ahead and give it more of a chance. anything that uses cilantro can't be all bad. :)

[Miri]

Wonderful looking pad thai you've made there! I'm all for quick cooks while on holiday (actually, most of the time :)

[Mrs. L]

Mom - I'll bring you some next time.

Noble Pig - It tasted pretty good for being so easy. It's something I'll probably make more than once.

Jan - Please do try it and let us know how it went!

Grace - Most of the recipes I've seen have Cilantro as an add on just before serving. You could probably leave it off if you don't like it (but I do :)

Miri - Thanks!

[Kevin]

That looks really good. I like the cilantro on it. Prep is essential for this dish. You want everything to be on hand when you need it.

[Nazarina Andrychow]

Mmmmm you make my mouth water! This would be perfect for Friday night supper! quick and delicious! BTW I love all your disney culinary treats. Disney! brings out the excited kid in all of us