Paht Thai

Paht Thai (Also known as Pad Thai)
Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
4 oz dried rice noodles, the width of linguine or fettucine
Vegetable oil for deep frying and stir frying
8 oz firm tofu, cut into slender 1 inch long rods
1 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic (4-6 cloves)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
2 tbsp Tamarind Liquid (or lime juice)
1 tbsp Asian bean sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground red chili pepper flakes
1/2 cup finely chopped salted, dry-roasted peanuts
2 cups bean sprouts
3 green onions, whites thinly sliced cross-wise & green tops cut into 1 inch lengths
1 lime, quartered

Directions:
Place the dried rice noodles in warm water to soak for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, pour vegetable oil into a medium skillet to a depth of about 2 inches. Place over medium heat until a bit of tofu added to the pan sizzles at once. Line a plate with paper towels and place near the stove. When the oil is ready, add the tofu in small batches to discourage them from sticking together. Fry, turning to cook evenly, until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes. Using a long-handled wire strainer or a slotted spoon, remove from the oil, draining over the pan briefly, and transfer to the paper-lined plate.

When the noodles are very limp, drain and set near the stove.

Heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the garlic and toss until golden, about 1 minute. Add the egg and tilt the pan so it coats the surface in a thin sheet. As soon as it is opaque and beginning to set, scramble it well and transfer it to a serving platter.

Add 2 more tbps oil to the pan and heat for 30 seconds. Add the softened noodles and, using a spatula, spread and pull the noodles into a thin layer covering the surface of the pan. Then scrape them down into a clump again and gently turn them over.

Add the vegetable stock, tamarind (or lime juice), bean sauce, sugar, soy sauce and salt. Toss well. Repeat until noodles are well coated and flexible. Add the chili flakes and about half of the peanuts and turn noodles a few more times.

Set aside a little less than half of the bean sprouts for garnish. Add the remainder to the pan along with the green onions and the cooked egg. Toss well and cook until bean sprouts and green onions are shiny and beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer to the serving platter and squeeze the lime wedges over the top. Garnish with the remaining peanuts and bean sprouts on one side and serve at once.

Serves 2.

Comments: Wow! This one was good! It's way more work than I would normally bother to do, but as Pad Thai is my favorite Thai dish I gave it a go. And boy am I glad I did. GLH liked it so much that he didn't even deliver his standard line about how it would taste better with meat. This recipe is a keeper! And may become one of our new "Guest Standards."