ATK Everyday Pad Thai
Entrees
Ingredients
GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS
Chile Vinegar
⅓ cup distilled white vinegar
1 serrano chile, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
Stir-Fry
Salt
Sugar
2 radishes, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch by 1/4-inch matchsticks
8 ounces (1/4-inch-wide) rice noodles
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
¼ cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons tamarind juice concentrate
1 pound large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled and deveined
4 scallions, white and light green parts minced, dark green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
1 garlic clove, minced
4 large eggs, beaten
4 ounces (2 cups) bean sprouts
¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped coarse
Lime wedges
Description
To create a truly authentic version of pad thai with distinct sweet, sour, and salty flavors and a mix of textures, it is necessary to source hard-to-find ingredients like preserved daikon, palm sugar, and dried shrimp. We wanted to develop a recipe that maintained the integrity of the dish while using accessible ingredients. Soaking rice noodles in boiling water softened them quickly, and a sauce of sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind concentrate (also increasingly found in supermarkets) resulted in balanced flavor. Shrimp and egg bulked up the dish while bean sprouts, scallion greens, and peanuts added crunch. Finally, we pickled regular red radishes to use in place of hard-to-find preserved daikon, and we created some of the flavors found in dried shrimp by microwaving and then frying small pieces of fresh shrimp.
Directions
FOR THE CHILE VINEGAR: Combine vinegar and chile in bowl and let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
FOR THE STIR-FRY: Combine 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar in small bowl. Microwave until steaming, about 30 seconds. Add radishes and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Bring 6 cups water to boil. Place noodles in large bowl. Pour boiling water over noodles. Stir, then let soak until noodles are almost tender, about 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through soaking. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Drain noodles well, then toss with 2 teaspoons oil.
Combine fish sauce, tamarind concentrate, and 3 tablespoons sugar in bowl and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.
Remove tails from 4 shrimp. Cut shrimp in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss shrimp pieces with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon sugar. Arrange pieces in single layer on large plate and microwave at 50 percent power until shrimp are dried and have reduced in size by half, 4 to 5 minutes. (Check halfway through microwaving and separate any pieces that may have stuck together.)
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add dried shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add minced scallions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl with dried shrimp.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add remaining whole shrimp and spread into even layer. Cook, without stirring, until shrimp turn opaque and brown around edges, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Push shrimp to sides of skillet. Add 2 teaspoons oil to center, then add eggs to center. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs gently and cook until set but still wet. Stir eggs into shrimp and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, until eggs are fully cooked, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Transfer shrimp-egg mixture to bowl with scallion-garlic mixture and dried shrimp.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add noodles and sauce and toss with tongs to coat. Cook, stirring and tossing often, until noodles are tender and have absorbed sauce, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer noodles to bowl with shrimp mixture. Add 2 teaspoons chile vinegar, drained radishes, scallion greens, and bean sprouts and toss to combine.
Transfer to platter and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges and remaining chile vinegar separately.