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By Request

By Betty Shimabukuro

Wednesday, February 28, 2001

"The Ultimate Chinese & Asian Cookbook"
Vegetarians can use a mixture of fresh and fried tofu in Pad Thai.

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Thai noodles reflect
cook’s taste

You're going to need broad, flat rice noodles, some bean sprouts and green onions or chives, plus a sprinkling of peanuts. Beyond that, Pad Thai is a dish without rules.

Kyle Lung wrote for a good recipe using chicken, but that left open a world of possibilities.

Pad Thai is one of the basics of Thai cuisine. Pad (or padd) means stirred or stir-fried and the word shows up in the name of a few traditional dishes.

In "Cracking the Coconut: Classic Thai Home Cooking" (HarperCollins, 2000, $30), author Su-Mei Yu says Pad Thai is sold on the streets of Thailand by vendors, each one using a different blend of flavors. Traditionally, the noodles were cooked to order, then wrapped in banana leaves, then newspapers and tied with banana twine.

The basic Pad Thai sauce varies not just by cook's preference, but also by region of the country, with some using tamarind as a basic flavoring, others preferring soy bean paste, dried fruit or even ketchup.

The type of noodle used in Pad Thai is also a matter of personal preference, although it must be a rice noodle. White, translucent rice noodles come in many sizes; the one usually recommended is about 1/8-inch wide, resembling fetuccine.

These two recipes reflect very different styles of Pad Thai-making -- one with a traditional tamarind base, the other a simpler treatment from Hawaii chef Keo Sananikone.

Pad Thai

"Simply Thai Cooking," by Wardee Young and Byron Ayanoglu (Robert Rose Inc., 1995, $17.95)

8 ounces rice noodles
1/4 cup tamarind paste (see notes)
1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, in 1/4-inch strips
4 ounces prepared deep-fried tofu, in 3/4-inch cubes (see notes)
8 large shrimp, peeled
2 eggs
1cup bean sprouts
6 tablespoons roasted, unsalted peanuts, ground
2 stems green onion, in 1-inch pieces

Garnish:
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Lime wedges

Soak the rice noodles in cold water to cover for 1 hour.

Combine tamarind paste with 1/4 cup warm water; soak 15 minutes. Mash paste and strain to yield 5 teaspoons juice. Add fish sauce, sugar, lime juice. Set aside.

Heat oil until smoking. Add garlic and stir-fry, 30 seconds. Add chicken; stir-fry 1 minute. Add tofu and shrimp; stir-fry 1 minute. Crack eggs and fry without breaking, 1 minute.

Quickly drain noodles and add to wok. Fold over. Add tamarind mixture and stir-fry 1-2 minutes. Noodles will cook down by half and soften to al dente.

Add 2/3 of the ground peanuts and 2/3 of the bean sprouts and all the green onion. Stir-fry 30 seconds.

Garnish with remaining peanuts, sprouts, fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serves 4.

Notes: Tamarind paste and deep-fried tofu, or bean curd, are sold in Asian specialty markets and in Chinatown.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 760 calories, 43 g total fat, 4.5 g saturated, 180 mg cholesterol, 680 mg sodium, 31 g protein, 64 g carbohydrate.*

Thai Noodles with Chicken

"Keo's Thai Cuisine, Revised," by Keo Sananikone (Ten Speed Press, 1999, $19.95)

1/2 pound rice noodles
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 scant teaspoon shredded pickled salted radish (see note)
1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 pound bean sprouts
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup coarsely chopped peanuts or macadamia nuts
1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 ounce chives, in 2-inch lengths

Garnish:
1 lime, quartered
1 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes

Soak noodles in warm water 30 minutes; drain.

Heat oil in a wok on high heat; cook garlic and salted radish until light brown. Add chicken and egg; stir-fry 3-4 minutes. Add noodles and half the bean sprouts; mix well. Stir in ketchup, soy sauce, nuts, sugar and fish sauce; cook 3 minutes. Add chives and remaining bean sprouts; mix well.

Garnish with lime, red chile pepper flakes, more chives and peanuts. Serves 3-4.

Note: Pickled salted radish is a dark, very salty radish that should be used sparingly. It is sun-dried, then salted and stored about a month before use. It can be purchased whole or pre-shredded in Asian markets or Chinatown.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 475 calories, 20 g total fat, 2 g saturated, 70 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 19 g protein, 56 g carbohydrate.*

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
By Request, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Food Section,
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.