Looking for a Simple Pad Thai Recipe

[AudreyCooks]

I’m addicted to my local Thai restaurant’s Pad Thai, and it’s beginning to get expensive ordering in every week for my Fiancé and myself. I’ve been cooking my whole life, but I’ve never once taken a stab at anything Thai, Chinese or Japanese, save for stir fry and fried rice. I have a very nice wok that, needless to say, should be used more often.

Since Asian food is my favorite style, my Fiancé believes it’s time for me to learn. I’d like to start with a simple Pad Thai I can make when I have my Mother over for dinner next week.

I live across the street from Whole Foods, but nowhere near an Asian market. If someone could share a simple recipe with me, or any Pad Thai tips, I’d be very grateful. I would like a recipe with chicken and a small amount of shrimp.

Thank you in advance :)

[taurus30]

I am going to start making my own Pad Thai also. I went to the Asian market today to pick the ingredients up. I could not find Tamarind paste so for now, I bought a good Pad Thai sauce with Tamarind in it from Thailand. I did get the fish sauce and will use brown sugar instead of palm. There are a few good recipes as mentioned here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/438542
and I seem to like CI one posted. The other at Thaifoodandtravel seems good too!

[Val]

@taurus30...Thaifoodandtravel is a VERY good source...just sayin'...their Spicy Thai Basil Chicken is unbelievable! hope the Pad Thai works for you...will you please let us know how it works out?

[haiku.]

The chezpim guide is the best one I've found.

[sushigirlie]

This is a helpful site -- http://chezpim.com/cook/pad_thai_for_...

I think pad thai has just 5 essential ingredients: oil for frying, rice sticks, and the three main sauce ingredients -- fish sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar. Make sure you can find these ingredients at Whole Foods, or otherwise buy them online.

In my mind, pad thai is a simple dish. You soak the rice sticks until they're pliable and edible (but still resilient), and then dry them. Then you stir-fry them. Then you add the pad thai sauce and stir-fry a little more. About 2 TBSP of each of the sauce ingredients per handful of rice sticks.

You can add all sorts of other things. The Chez Pim site discusses when to add them. Some of the most important additions are fresh bean sprouts and crushed roasted peanuts, both added to the finished dish, and some protein stir-fried along with the noodles.

[lowereastrittenhouse]

Agreed on the Chez Pim recipe. Attempting to take short cuts will usually lead in disappointment. Whole Foods carries most of the ingredients... tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, and rice sticks. They don't usually carry palm sugar, but you probably could use light brown sugar in a pinch (adjust for differing volume).

[blue room]

I've never thought of Pad Thai as a simple dish -- too many ingredients, and you sort of have to be quick and pay attention to get everything to come out together in the end. (To me, a simple dish is corn on the cob!)
Here's the Pad Thai recipe I use though--I make it maybe once every 6 - 8 months, and like it just fine.
http://chezpim.com/cook/pad_thai_for_...

[Quine]

Besides having NO idea what the baby connection is, search works pretty good here.
Here is one :
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/438542

Have fun, enjoy, make the recipe before you try it on Mom. Guests, IMHO, should not be guinea pigs

[Quine]

What is the baby connection? I am confused.

[AudreyCooks]

An apparently poorly-placed joke on my part. I've changed it to avoid confusion... :)

[Quine]

Thanks! Since folks do ask questions about making baby food, it is a valid concern.

Dirty Dancing. right?