Recipe - Pad Thai Stir-Fried Rice Ribbon Noodles

Stephen Ceideburg
6 ounce Dried flat rice noodles (see
note)
4 tablespoon Vegetable oil
One fourth pound Medium shrimp, shelled and
deveined
1 Boneless chicken breast
half, skinned, thinly
cut or sliced up
3 Garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon Yellow bean sauce
3 tablespoon Tomato paste
2 tablespoon Fish sauce
1 To 2 tablespoons distilled
vinegar
2 tablespoon Sugar
3 Eggs
2 tablespoon Chopped preserved radish,
soaked in warm water for
10 Minutes, drained (optional)
1 tablespoon Small dried shrimp
(optional)
1 Inch cubes fried tofu, cut
into 1/2inch slices
(optional)
Big pinch chile flakes
2 Handfuls bean sprouts,
tailed
2 To 4 tablespoons chicken
broth or water, as needed
4 Green onions, trimmed, cut
into 2inch lengths
GARNISHES:
2 tablespoon Coarsely chopped roasted
peanuts
Chile flakes
2 tablespoon Coarsely chopped fresh
coriander leaves
2 Limes, cut into wedges

Place noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water; let soak about 15
minutes, or until soft and pliable. Drain; set aside.

Set a wok over mediumhigh heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Add shrimp and chicken; stirfry until shrimp turns bright orange and
chicken turns white, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Reheat wok over medium heat. Add the remaining oil and the garlic; brown
gently (about 20 seconds). Increase heat to medium high. Add the bean
sauce, tomato paste, fish sauce, vinegar and sugar; stir until sugar
dissolves.

Increase heat to high. Break 1 of the eggs into the sauce; beat 3 or 4
times. Let cook until egg is slightly set but still moist, about 20
seconds. Repeat with second and third egg. There should be tiny flecks of
egg peeking through.

Add the optional radish, dried shrimp and tofu, the chile flakes, softened
noodles and 1 handful of bean sprouts to the hot wok. Toss and lift noodles
until tender and no longer stiff, about 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the chicken broth 2 tablespoons at a time if noodles seem dry, the
green onions and the reserved shrimp/chicken mixture; toss for 30 seconds
to reheat. The sauce is not a wet sauce; it should "drycoat" the noodles.

Transfer to a platter and serve with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, chile
flakes to taste and fresh coriander leaves. Arrange. remaining bean sprouts
and lime wedges around noodles. (Squeeze lime over noodles before eating.)
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Traditionally, Pad Thai uses dried, flat Y4inchwide fettuccinelike
riceflour noodles, labeled "Chantaboon rice sticks."

PER SERVING: 490 calories, 20 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 21 g fat (3 g
saturated), 210 mg cholesterol, 1,258 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

From an article by Joyce Jue in the San Francisco Chronicle, 8/18/93.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini