Pad Thai (Pad Thai Gung Sod)

4 Servings
 
Ingredients:

Pad Thai Sauce:

  • 1 cup tamarind juice
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • More sugar?

Pad Thai:

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon shallots, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
  • 2 cups extra firm tofu, diced and fried
  • ¼ cup carrots, fine julienned
  • 3 tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked for 30 minutes and rinsed
  • 1 pound shrimp, or chicken, pork, etc (optional)
  • 1 package rice sticks (noodles), soaked in COLD water until pilable (about 30 minutes)
  • 3 each eggs, cooked into an omelet and cut into 1/2″ strips
  • 6 tablespoons pad thai sauce
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts, roasted and chopped
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 cup garlic chives

Garnish:

  • peanuts, dry roasted and chopped
  • raw bean sprouts
  • green onions, sliced on a bias
  • lime
Method:
  1. To Make the Tamarind Juice: Soak 3-4 tablespoons of tamarind pulp in 1 cup of warm water.
  2. Break up the pulp with your hands and strain through a fine mesh sieve.
  3. Preparing the Pad Thai Sauce: In a sauce pan combine tamarind juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar.
  4. Cook over medium heat and stir the ingredients until the sugar melts.
  5. Turn the heat down and simmer for two or three minutes.
  6. Set aside.
  7. Pad Thai Preparation: Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat.
  8. Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
  9. Add 1 tablespoon of shallots and garlic.
  10. Stir quickly, do not burn the garlic.
  11. Add the fried tofu, and carrots and stir for 30 seconds or so.
  12. Add 3 tablespoons of dried shrimp and fresh peeled shrimp (or other meats) stir to combine.
  13. Once the shrimp or meat is mostly cooked, add the softened noodles and a little water to cook noodles.
  14. Stir briskly to combine, being careful not to break the noodles.
  15. Fold in strips of scrambled eggs.
  16. Add about 6 tablespoons of the pad thai sauce.
  17. Toss to combine.
  18. Add peanuts, bean sprouts,and green onion and optionally, dried roasted ground peppers to taste.
  19. Dish out the Pad Thai onto a serving plate.
  20. Garnish with raw bean sprouts, green onions, and lime wedges.