Rhubarbsky

Abby helps Tom prep for Pad Thai

This is a favorite around our house. Tom especially loves to make it because once you have everything sliced, diced, grated and beat in only takes about 8 minutes to cook. I act as soux chef, chopping, dicing and cleaning as we go. Tom and I have the process of making this down to a ballet. We move though the kitchen side by side and around each other as if the other isn’t moving at all. If we do it together, it’s a snap. We use soy sauce instead of fish sauce. We just like the flavor better. We also usually only use 2 eggs and sometimes add chopped tofu to the mix. This is not an especially authentic Pad Thai recipe, but it’s pretty tasty. We like to serve it with Chicken Satay and peanut sauce. Sometime, I’d like to try out this recipe for a more real life Pad Thai experience!

Abby watches Tom make the “well” in the grated carrots for the scrambled eggs.

Pad Thai
2 qt water
3/4 lb Mung bean sprouts
6 oz Rice noodles (1/4-inch wide)

———————————–SAUCE———————————–

3 tb Fresh lime juice
3 tb Catsup
1 tb Brown sugar
1/4 c Fish sauce* or soy sauce

—————————REMAINING INGREDIENTS—————————

3 tb Peanut oil or vegetable oil
3 To 4 cloves garlic; minced -or pressed
1 tb Fresh chile; minced OR 1 1/2 ts Crushed red pepper flakes
2 c Carrots; grated
4 lg Eggs; lightly beaten with a pinch of salt

2/3 c Peanuts; chopped
6 To 8 scallions; chopped-(about 1 cup)

*Fish sauce is made from fermented salted fish. It can be found in Asian
food stores and requires no refrigeration after opening.

In a covered pot, bring the water to a rolling boil. Blanch the mung bean
sprouts by placing them in a strainer or small colander and dipping it into
the boiling water for 30 seconds. Set aside to drain well. When the water
returns to a boil, stir in the rice noodles and cook for 3 to 5 minutes,
until tender but firm. Drain the cooked noodles, rinse them under cool
water, and set them aside to drain.

Prepare the remaining ingredients and have them near at hand before you
begin to stir-fry. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic
and chile, swirl them in the oil for a moment, and stir in the grated
carrots. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Push the carrots to the sides to make a
hollow in the center. Pour the beaten eggs into the center and quickly
scramble them.

Cooking the eggs in the hollow of carrot.

When the eggs have just set, pour in the sauce mixture and
stir everything together. Add the drained rice noodles and mung sprouts,
and toss to distribute evenly. Stir in the peanuts and scallions, and serve
at once.

Per 8 oz. serving: 296 calories, 11.3 g protein, 15 g fat, 31 g
carbohydrate, 712 mg sodium, 142 mg cholesterol. Source: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home.

Yummy Pad Thai!

So, Abby was excited to try out the eats, but we put in ALL of the crushed red pepper this time (we didn’t have any fresh jalepeno) and it was MIGHTY SPICY! So, despite all of her help, she didn’t eat more than one bite. So, beware. . . it doesn’t take much to make this too spicy for little mouths.