Pad Thai (ATK)

• portions: 4

Ingrédients

2 tablespoons tamarind paste or substitute (see "Tamarind Options" above)

3/4 cup boiling water

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

8 ounces dried rice stick noodles, about 1/8 inch wide (the width of linguine)

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

12 ounces medium (31/35 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, if desired

3 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press or minced (1 tablespoon)

1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons dried shrimp, chopped fine (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped Thai salted preserved radish (optional)

6 tablespoons chopped roasted unsalted peanuts

3 cups (6 ounces) bean sprouts

5 medium scallions, green parts only, sliced thin on sharp bias

1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)

Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Rehydrate tamarind paste in boiling water (see instructions in "Tamarind Options" above). Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons oil into tamarind liquid and set aside.

2. Cover rice sticks with hot tap water in large bowl; soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles and set aside. Beat eggs and 1/8 teaspoon salt in small bowl; set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over high heat until just beginning to smoke, about 2 minutes. Add shrimp and sprinkle with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and browned about the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to plate and set aside.

4. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and swirl to coat; add garlic and shallot, set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1½ minutes; add eggs to skillet and stir vigorously with wooden spoon until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds. Add noodles, dried shrimp, and salted radish (if using) to eggs; toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine. Pour fish sauce mixture over noodles, increase heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are evenly coated. Scatter ¼ cup peanuts, bean sprouts, all but ¼ cup scallions, and cooked shrimp over noodles; continue to cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are tender, about 2½ minutes (if not yet tender add 2 tablespoons water to skillet and continue to cook until tender).

5. Transfer noodles to serving platter, sprinkle with remaining scallions, 2 tablespoons peanuts, and cilantro; serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.

Notes

A wok might be the implement of choice in restaurants and the old country, but a large 12- inch skillet (nonstick makes cleanup easy) is more practical for home cooks. Although pad thai cooks very quickly, the ingredient list is long, and every- thing must be prepared and within easy reach at the stovetop when you begin cooking. For maximum efficiency, use the time during which the tamarind and noodles soak to prepare the other ingredients. Tofu is a good and common addition to pad thai. If you like, add 4 ounces of extra-firm tofu or pressed tofu (available in Asian markets) cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup) to the noodles along with the bean sprouts.

Cook’s illustrated 2002 July/August