"Recipes from the Chef's Kitchen"

Show 747

 14511 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy.
Suite P
Chantilly, Virginia 20151
Phone: 703.631.8277
WWW.THAIBASILCHANTILLY.COM

Nongkran Daks - Owner/Executive Chef

 Pad Thai
(serves 2)

This popular dish takes time to prepare.  However, you can make the
sauce in advance and keep it in the freezer or refrigerator.

For an authentic dish, don’t take shortcuts and don’t leave out any of
the ingredients—particularly the Pad Thai sauce that gives the final
dish its rich, amber color and succulent taste.  Select the rice stick
noodles marked “M” for medium; the thinner and the wider ones are
used for other noodle dishes.  Salted or preserved radish is sold
in cellophane packets at Asian markets and, after opening, lasts
almost indefinitely in the refrigerator.  Be sure to have all the
ingredients within reach because you have to work fast and
be at the stove throughout the cooking time.  With one
bite of this Pad Thai, you will discover noodle heaven.

Ingredients:
1)   4 tbs. Vegetable Oil, plus extra as needed
2)   1 tsp. chopped Garlic
3)   1 tbs. dried Shrimp (optional)
4)   1/2 cup sliced Pork
5)   1/2 cup whole Shrimp - cleaned and shelled
6)   1 tbs. (shredded) preserved Radish
7)   1/4 lb. medium-size dried Rice Noodles
        (soaked 60 minutes in cold water and drained)
8)   5 tbs. Pad Thai Sauce (see recipe below)
9)   2 large Eggs
10) 1/2 tsp. ground hot Chilies, or more to taste
11) 2 tbs. ground roasted Peanuts
12) 1/2 cup cut-up Garlic Chives or Green Onion
13) 2 cups bean sprouts - rinsed
14) 1 piece of Lime

Preparation:
1)   Heat the oil in a wok.  Add the garlic and stir-fry until golden brown.
       Add the meat and shrimp and keep stirring until the shrimp changes
       color.  Remove the shrimp to prevent overcooking and set aside.
2)   Add the noodles.  They will stick together so stir fast and try to separate
       them.  Add a little water, stirring a few times. Then add the Pad Thai
       sauce, and keep stirring until everything is thoroughly mixed.  The
       noodles should appear soft and moist. Return the cooked shrimp to
       the wok.
3)   Push the contents of the wok up around the sides to make room to
       fry the eggs.  If the pan is very dry, add 1 more tablespoon of oil.  Add
       the eggs and spread the noodles over the eggs to cover.  When the eggs
       are cooked, stir the noodles until everything is well mixed—this should
       result in cooked bits of eggs, both whites and yolk, throughout the
       noodle mixture.
4)   Add chilies, peanuts, garlic chives and bean sprouts plus the radish.
       Mix well.  Remove to a platter.  Serve with raw bean spouts and a
       few drops of lime juice.

The Pad Thai Sauce
Ingredients:
1)   1 cup Tamarind juice (see note 1 below)
2)   1 cup Palm Sugar + 3 tablespoons
3)   1 cup Water
4)   1/2 cup Fish Sauce
5)   2 tsp. Salt

Preparation:
1)   Mix all ingredients in a saucepan for about 60 minutes until it is well
       mixed and syrupy.
2)   Stir occasionally to prevent its burning.

Note 1:
1)   You can buy premixed tamarind concentrate or make your own tamarind juice.
2)   Buy a package of compressed tamarind pulp at any Asian market, cut off
       3 tablespoons of paste and soak in 1 1/2 cups of warm water for 20 minutes.
3)   Squeeze out the pulp and discard; the remaining liquid is tamarind juice.
4)   Store any leftover juice or noodle sauce in a tightly sealed container in the
       refrigerator or freezer.

Note 2:
1)   If you want to double this recipe, DO NOT double the ingredients, for the
       bulk will be too much to work with.
2)   Rather, make the dish twice.
3)   If you plan to make this for company, cook noodles ahead of time and add
       bean sprouts and garlic grass when you heat it up.
4)   If it is an informal gathering, it is fun to let your guests cook their own noodles.

Ingredients:
1)   3 cups Thai Sticky Rice
2)   1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk
3)   1 1/4 cups Sugar
4)   1 tsp. Salt
5)   4 ripe Mangoes

Procedure:
1)   Soak rice with 4 cups cold water for 6 hours.  Drain well.
2)   Line a steamer with cheesecloth, add the rice and steam over
       high heat for about 30 minutes.
3)   In a saucepan, heat sugar, salt and coconut milk over medium-low heat
       until dissolved.  Remove 1/2 cup of coconut milk mixture for topping.
4)   Stir in the rice and mix well.  Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
5)   Peel the mangoes and slice lengthwise, then cut crosswise into bite-size
       pieces.  Place the sticky rice onto serving plates.  Spoon coconut milk
       sauce over the top and arrange mango slices around the sticky rice.

Good Eating!!!