Pad Thai

serves 4-6



I love Pad Thai but I have has some really bad ones. Most recently I ordered this dish in a local restaurant, the noodles were over cooked and stuck together and the two prawns that accompanied the dish were questionable at best. So my quest to create a great Pad Thai began.







Ingredients

2 long fresh red chillis deseeded
2 shallots
4 cloves garlic
300 g dried flat rice noodles
500 g  green prawns peeled and deveined chopped
2 tbs oil
3 tbs tamarind paste
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
 juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup bean sprouts
3 tbs dry roasted cashews
3 tbs fresh coriander
2 tbs fried shallots

Directions

In a food processor or a mortar and pestle combine the chilli's, garlic, shallots and 2 tbs of water to create a paste.
In a separate bowl, combine the tamarind paste, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce and sugar stir to combine.
Place noodle in a bowl add boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes, drain the noodles.
Heat oil in a wok and fry the chilli paste for about 20 seconds, then stir in the combined sauces, add the chopped prawns and cook for 1 minute or until they are just cooked.
Add the noodles to the pan, along with the chicken stock, half of the coriander and the bean sprouts stir the mixture and cook for 5 minutes until most of the sauce has been absorbed.
To serve garnish with the remaining coriander, cashews and the fried shallots.