Pad Thai with Chicken

I've always wanted to make Pad Thai, but never had the guts to actually try it. Now that I've made it, it's much easier to digest (literally and figuratively!) It's important to ensure you have the appropriate ingredients, but most of them can be found at an Asian foods specialty store, or in the Asian foods section of your local grocery store. Anders found all the necessary items at Berkeley Bowl - our church. 

We found out about this class through Sur La Table, which has been closing stores nationwide for the last month or so. We hit up the local store on Union Street while they had their clearance sale, and walked away with tons of bar ware. I suggest checking out your local store in case they are still open to get a deal!

Other than being a little annoyed that our teacher was Caucasian and teaching us how to make Pad Thai, I thought she was professional and knowledgeable on the recipe. I also liked the fact that the class was $29/person, and that we could take it from home! That meant playing our favorite music and sipping on wine instead of standing awkwardly in a room full of strangers hungrily awaiting our dish. Win/Win. 

Ingredients:

3 eggs (optional, I decided to suffer and allow Anders to have eggs in it even though I'm sensitive to egg whites and yolk) 

6 oz sliced chicken breast or thigh (or fried tofu)

3 garlic cloves

1 small bunch green onions

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts, cleaned (rinsed under water in a colander)

1 lime

6 oz Chantaboon rice noodles (Pad Thai noodles)

Peanut or vegetable oil

1/4 cup unsalted peanuts (plus more for garnishing) - I roasted mine again in a pan over medium heat for 5 minutes until they became shiny to give them a little more flavor

1/4 cup preserved radish (often found in the Asian foods refrigeration section), cut into match sticks

Ingredients & Directions for Pad Thai sauce:

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/3 cup tamarind concentrate (Thai brands, can be found in Asian food markets)

Sea or Kosher Salt

1/2 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar

2 tablespoons garlic powder

Sriracha 

1. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium/high heat. Cook until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon or spatula, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

2. Put 1/2 cup of sauce in a large bowl with chopped chicken and let sit. Cook in sauce right before you're ready to make your Pad Thai. 

Directions for Pad Thai:

1. To soften the rice noodles: Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water (not boiling water, hot water from your sink is fine). I used a plate to weigh the noodles down in the water. Soak for 30 minutes or until tender and soft. Drain in a colander and set aside.

2. To prepare the Pad Thai: Heat a wok over high heat, add the oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the eggs and stir fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic and noodles, followed by the Pad Thai sauce. Simmer noodles in the sauce until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and radish. 

3. Check the noodles. If they are not tender, add 1/4 cup water. When the noodles are tender, stir in green onions, 1 cup of bean sprouts and peanuts; remove the wok from the stove. Be careful not to overcook the noodles or they will stick together. If this happens, add small amounts of water to separate them. When the water is absorbed, take the wok off the heat immediately. 

4. To serve, place Pad Thai in a large serving bowl and garnish with remaining bean sprouts, lime wedges and peanuts.