RECIPE: REC: galleygirl's Pad Thai

RECIPE:

ron_in_worcester

Active member
I found this excellent recipe on the home cooking board at chowhound.com. I've made it "as is" many times, and found that it's one of the most tweakable recipes I've ever come upon. (And tweak it I have!)

In any case, should you decide to try it, I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as we have.

GALLEYGIRL’S PAD THAI

(This) came from a Sheryl Julian column in the (Boston) Globe years ago, but of course I've made changes. You may want to also, depending on your taste in Pad Thai. I like mine non-greasy, and clean-tasting, with a *hint* of sweetness. You can substitute tofu or chicken for the shrimp, or use both. I've made it lots of time using tofu and eggs. I realize this sounds wordy, but like any str-fry, it's all in the prep...Once you do it once or twice, and find your *own* proportions, you won't order it out, either! (BTW, I tried the Pad Thai recipe in Cooks Illustrated a few months ago, also. It's very good. About the only difference is the addition of dissolved tamarind, in place of some of the rice vinegar. But this is probably closer to what we're all used to.)

1/2-lb. dry rice stick noodles

1/4-cup rice vinegar

1/4-cup fish sauce

1 Tbsp. sesame oil (I use 2 tsp.: taste and see)

1/4-cup sugar

1 tsp. chili powder (I use coarsely ground Korean)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (she said peanut)

2 cloves chopped garlic

1/4-1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and chopped in halves or thirds

2 eggs

4 chopped scallions

1/4-lb. bean sprouts (or more)

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (or more!)

1/2-3/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

fresh lime, if you have it.

Pour boiling water over the rice sticks, and soak for 15 minutes.

Mix vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil , sugar and chili powder in a little bowl.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok. Add garlic. Cook shrimp til they turn pink. Remove. Next put in beaten eggs, stirring constantly until set (you can use a little more oil, if you need it). Throw shrimp back in. Add the drained noodles, and stir-fry for a minute or so.

Add the vinegar mixture and scallions, cook for a minute or so. Add the bean sprouts, cook for another minute or two. (she says do both at the same time, but I find the liquid needs a little more time to be absorbed, and I like my sprouts crunchy.)

Add half the cilantro and half the peanuts and stir together. Put in plates or bowls, and top with remaining cilantro and peanuts. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.

galleygirl at chowhound.com

 
Can you give us some of your tweaks? I have a dwarf kaffir lime tree

in a big pot on my patio given to me by my son. So I can add some of that if you think it's authentic.

 
Up until 2 days ago I had never heard of Pad Thai, but noticed in on the menu

at a chinese restaurant we were at, ordered it and it was wonderful. I haven't been able to forget how scrumptious this was. My pad thai had shrimp, chicken and beef strips. Thanks for the recipe.

 
This is right up my alley! And I'd add the kaffir leaves!

And I have to express my ENVY that you have one! I'm still searching for one I can buy in CA!

I love Thai!

 
Another authentic addition is dried shrimp

which you would add just after the garlic. They are used more as a flavoring agent then a main show. I usually make (and teach) Pad Thai using tofu. It is perfect in this recipe.

 
Glennis: I m in Vacaville and we have a local nursery that carries them.

Although when my son bought mine he special ordered it from somewhere in Bay Area ( he lives in SF). You could have your local nursery order one( I recommend a dwarf since you can move them to a protected spot if frost is imminent.) If you are near Vacaville maybe we could meet for lunch & go to the nursery after if you can't get your nursery to order a dwarf kaffir lime. Mine hasn't flowered yet-I think I have had it a year & a half now. Also I think the price at Morningstar Nursery was around $30.

 
Any nursery should be able to order one for you.

That's how I got mine a few years ago. It flowers and fruits profusely...little wrinkled limes that smell heavenly. It's a dwarf style and I have it in a large pot. The other thing you need to grow for Thai food is lemon grass. Also easy and attractive as a decorative grass. Throw in a few bushes of Thai chilis and you've always got the makin's for great Thai cuisine.

 
Ok folks.....

If I manange to get a kaffir lime tree, can I keep it going in New England?
I have to bring rosemary in every winter, so citrus isn't going to survive outdoors either. Will the lime tree make it in my not so humid indoor environment?
If you think it might, I'll try to find one.
(searching for that kaffir lime sambal recipe from Ming Tsai).

 
Don't know if this is what you're looking for but there is a Tomato-Kaffir Lime Salsa at...

Simplyming.org. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll post it for you.

 
I have the sambal recipe.....

somewhere. What I need is a ready supply of the leaves! smileys/teeth.gif
BTW, the sambal is some good!

 
REC: Kaffir Lime - Shallot Sambal

Kaffir Lime-Shallot Sambal



Ming says: Hot sauces are popular around the world and I'm a huge fan of all of them: Latin salsas, Korean chile sauces, Indonesian sambals, and, my newest favorite, peri peri, a VERY hot chile paste I discovered in South Africa while there with lifestyle guru and consummate host Colin Cowie. I was so inspired by peri peri that I created this Kaffir Lime-Shallot Sambal. The aromatic citrus of the kaffir lime is spiked with heat, giving dishes from marinated grilled pork to rock lobsters a burst of sunny (and spicy) flavor that captures the essence of Thai cuisine.

Makes about 5 cups

* 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
* 20 shallots, peeled and minced
* 3/4 pound green jalapeños, stemmed, minced with the seeds
* 10 kaffir lime leaves, stemmed and minced
* 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
* 1 cup naturally brewed rice vinegar
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt


1. In a non-reactive sauce pan or wok over low heat, add the grapeseed oil, and sweat the shallots, chiles and kaffir lime leaves until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the lime juice, naturally brewed rice vinegar and sugar and bring slowly to a simmer. Reduce by 50 percent, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt. Transfer to a food processor and pulse a few times. Let come to room temperature and transfer to a glass jar — it may be refrigerated for two weeks.

This is from the Simply Ming website.

http://www.simplyming.org/recipes/218_kaffir_lime_shallot.html

 
This looks great Judy! Saving this one - love his recipes. I've always felt lucky...

to be able to find the frozen kaffir leaves...lol! Having fresh ones would be such a luxury.

 
Kiffir Lime

We just took our four year old tree out. It reversed back to whatever it had grafted to it. The leaves were no longer the segmented leaves, but more like a lemon tree. Also, the tree had HUGE, sharp thorns that I was afraid my hubby, me or animals were going to poke an eye out, because of them. Very dangerous tree. Ours was doing well in a raised bed and protected, those thorns were not tolerable.

 
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