Pad Thai

• 8 oz semi-fresh rice sticks or 4 oz dried rice sticks
• 3 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 3 oz fried tofu cut into bite sizes, pressed or extra firm tofu will work just as fine
• 3 to 4 oz large peeled and deveined shrimp
• 2 tbsp. Thai preserved sweet radish chopped finely
• 1/2 shallot chopped finely
• 2 oz garlic chives or 3 green onions chopped
• 4 oz beansprouts
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts chopped finely
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp. cooking oil

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. tamarind concentrate
• 2 tbsp. palm sugar (substitute with regular sugar if palm sugar is not available)
• 1 to 2 tsp. Thai sriracha or 1 tsp. dried Thai chili powder
• 1/4 cup cold water

For the garnish

• Garlic chives or green onion finely chopped
• Beansprouts
• Crushed peanuts
• Lime wedges
• Thai chili powder

1. If you are using semi-fresh rice noodles, then you can use them directly.
2. Those that are using the dried rice noodles sticks will need to soak them in warm water for atleast 10 – 12 minutes. Once done, drain them well and set aside.
3. To prepare the sauce, add all the ingredients of the sauce in a bowl and mix well till the palm sugar/sugar is dissolved. You can adjust the sriracha or Thai chili powder according to your taste.
4. Turn on the flame and heat a wok. Add 1 tbsp of oil and cook the shrimp and sliced chicken. Since the chicken is thinly sliced it won’t take long to cook – about 2 to 3 minutes will suffice.
5. Once the prawn and chicken turn golden around their edges, you can remove them from the wok and set it aside in a plate.
6. In the same wok add another tbsp. of cooking oil and add the tofu and fry it for 2 minutes. If you are using extra-firm tofu then you should fry it for a little longer.
7. The tofu should get golden edges or its skin should be crisp because this prevents the tofu from breaking when it is cooked with the noodles.
8. Now add the chopped shallot and preserved radish and stir them together for a couple of minutes. Next add the noodles and pour in the sauce.
9. Cook the noodles till the sauce is completely absorbed by the noodles and the wok is completely dry.
10. If you find the noodles are sticking together then you can add 1 tbsp. and if the noodles are taking time to cook then adding 2 tbsp of water will help it cook sooner. Stir fry everything, the process will take 2-3 minutes.
11. Next move your noodles to one corner of your wok. Add 1 tbsp. of oil and crack two eggs in the wok directly.
12. Wait for the eggs to cook halfway and then scramble them. Once the eggs are scrambled mix them with the noodles. Toss and stir all the ingredients together for a minute.
13. Now add garlic chives/green onion, crushed peanuts, shrimp and chicken. Mix everything together for a minute.
14. Remove the wok from heat and transfer the pad Thai to a serving plate.
15. Garnish your pad Thai with garlic chives/green onion, beansprouts, chopped peanuts, some Thai chili powder and a wedge of lime.