Thai cuisine was not a popular cuisine in the Philippines and all over the world in the 90s. Even though some items pop up now and then in supermarkets and menus, the increase of its demand came during the 2000s. Personally, I was not even aware of it until I went to college. Ironically, Philippines and Thailand food are somewhat similar especially the ingredients used.
Fast track to 2020, we find dishes like pad thai everywhere in the western world. Anyways, I can go on and on but I’m here originally to show how to make pad thai in the comforts of your home. According to wiki, many versions of making a good pad thai calls for different vegetable ingredient like bean sprouts, pickled radishes, turnips and even banana flowers.
A great homemade pad thai is not dry nor too saucy. However, it is better to have more sauce in the dish than less since the noodles tends to absorb the liquid when left out too long after cooking. You find all the ingredients in your local grocery store at the international section or make a trip to your local asian market if you have one. I urge to support local businesses around you. It helps improve livelihoods and generate revenue for economy within communities. If you cannot find one at all, you can make your own rice noodles (can be tedious if you do not have the time) or purchase through amazon. Now on with the show!
Pad Thai (Kitchionista's Style)
Ingredients
- 1 pack rice noodles softened in warm water
- 1 Breast cubed
- 1/2 medium raw shrimps
- 1 shallots minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 white part of green onions chopped (separate white and green parts)
- 1 lemongrass white part only, ground
- 1 tbsp. galangal peel skin, ground
- 3 thai chillies ground
- 1 tbsp. tiny dried shrimps
- 1 large carrots julienned
- 1 zucchini julienned
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tbsp. cilantro roughly chopped
- 1/2 vegetable oil or animal lard better option
- 2 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
- 1 tsp. sugar rock or 1/2 tbsp white sugar
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Topping
- 3 green part of green onions chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced and toasted
- 1 cup chicharones crushed finely
- 1 tbsp. cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 lime cut in wedges
Instructions
- Soak rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes. Drained and set aside.
- While noodles are soaking, ground lemongrass, galangal and thai chillies together in a pestle and mortar. An alternative is using a blender. The technique is to turn on the blender first and slowly add each ingredient. Add a tablespoon of water to ground the herbs faster. Set aside.
- Heat wok on high heat. Add half of oil. Saute garlic, shallots, green onions (white part) for 3 minutes.
- Mix in ground herb mixture and dried shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in the chicken and shrimp. Toss for 1 minute.
- Add carrots. Turn heat to medium and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in rest of oil, water, fish sauce, lime juice, and peanut butter as well as zucchini. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
- As vegetables cook thoroughly, gradually toss in rice noodles. Make sure to coat noodle with sauce as you add in more. Sprinkle the cilantro.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in egg and toss continually until bits of scramble is visible. Turn off heat.
- Serve in bowl. Garnished with lime wedge, green onions (green parts), toasted garlic, cilantro and chicharones.
So how do you make pad thai
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