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bowls went each ingredient, measured and chopped, minced or sliced as needed, and I grouped them all according to when they’d be used. Again with a little apprehension — no instructor this time to stroll by with pointers — but more glee, I fired up the wok (ok, I plugged in my electric Wolfgang Puck wok) and got to work. To my delight it went much as it did in class. I read and re-read my recipe instructions out loud as I added each ingredient in its turn. And in just a few minutes I had my own Pad Thai. I seasoned it with the chili powder I’d brought home from a Chiang Mai market and the juice of some cute little limes like the ones we’d used there. And I very happily sat down at my own kitchen table and dove into a glorious, steaming tangle of noodles that, with the first bite, transported me back to Thailand. F&D
Pad Thai “Stir-fried noodles in Thai style” Adapted from A Lot of Thai Cookbook http://www.alotofthai.com (SERVES 2)
3 /4 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1/2 6 1
4 1 1
/2 2 2 1
tablespoons vegetable oil cup extra-firm tofu, cut into small sticks tablespoon shallot, chopped tablespoon garlic, chopped ounces chicken, finely chopped tablespoon fish sauce tablespoon soy sauce tablespoons tamarind puree tablespoons palm sugar ounces narrow dried rice noodles, soaked according to package directions and drained to 6 tablespoons water or chicken stock cup (about) bean sprouts, plus extra for serving cup (about) green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths eggs tablespoons ground, roasted peanuts lime, cut in wedges, or two key limes, halved
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok over medium heat. Fry tofu and shallot until light brown. Add garlic and chicken and cook, tossing and stirring, about a minute. Add noodles and immediately add 4 tablespoons water or stock. Cook until noodles are soft, stirring, adding more liquid if necessary. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind puree, and palm sugar and cook about a minute, stirring. Add bean sprouts and green onions and cook another minute, then push to one side. Add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to the other side and add eggs. When the whites are set and the yolks are nearly cooked, scramble the eggs, and mix with the noodles, distributing the egg pieces throughout the noodle mixture. Remove from heat and add peanuts. Serve with chili powder, lime wedges and bean sprouts.