Pad Thai

December 20, 2023

• 8 oz wide rice noodles
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 lb chicken breast sliced into thin strips then 2 inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot minced
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 4 green onions chopped (divided)
• ½ cup chopped cilantro (divided)
• ½ cup peanuts roughly chopped

For the Sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce or hoisen sauce
• a few drops fish sauce
• dash of sugar (optional)
• juice of 1-2 limes
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sriracha or red chili paste (optional)
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger or fresh ginger paste

This meal comes together in about 20 minutes so Mise en Place (French for “put in place”) is essential. Get all ingredients chopped, sliced, prepared, juiced, crushed, measured and ready to go before you start cooking. Once you start, there is no stopping.

First, soak rice noodles in hot water while you prepare all the other ingredients. In a hot wok, saute chicken in stock, garlic, shallots, red pepper, 1/2 the chopped green onions until chicken is nearly done. Add matchstick carrots. Add the sauce ingredients. Push it all up the sides of the wok to form a well for scrambling the eggs. Once eggs are set, stir to combine the eggs into the chicken. Add the bean sprouts, ½ cup chopped cilantro and toss. Add the drained rice noodles and toss the whole thing together. If you feel there is not enough liquid at this point, add some of the noodle water. Cook and toss until the noodles are heated and well coated. Serve immediately with more sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, lime wedges and crushed peanuts. Offer hot sauce, chili paste or crushed red pepper flakes to those who like heat.