Nicolas Pad Thai Recipes

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.

NICOLA'S PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak uncooked noodles in 8 cups of water until soft, 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain rice noodles and set aside.
• Whisk together vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut butter, 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, onion powder, tamarind paste, hot chile paste, garlic powder, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, ground coriander, ground ginger, salt, and ground black pepper in a saucepan.
• Heat sauce over medium heat until it bubbles; reduce heat to low, and simmer sauce while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large wok over medium heat.
• Cook and stir broccoli, carrots, snow peas, water chestnuts, baby corn, mushrooms, and zucchini in the wok until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the drained noodles and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to vegetables. Cook and stir until noodles are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the wok from heat and pour the sauce over vegetables and rice noodles.
• Toss to fully coat the vegetables and rice noodles with sauce.
• Garnish with peanuts, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and paprika.