Thai Noodles (pad Thai)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 ounces thai rice noodles, 1/8
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 4 green onions
• 1 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb skinless chicken breasts, cut in small pieces (or 1/2 lb of a combination of 2 or all 3) or 1/2 lb lamb, cut in chunks (or 1/2 lb of a combination of 2 or all 3) or 1/2 lb raw shrimp (or 1/2 lb of a combination of 2 or all 3)
• egg
• bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Recipe

• 1 soak rice noodles in warm water for 20 - 25 minutes - they should be soft but not mushy; they will soften when they are cooked in the liquid.
• 2 (prepare accordingly depending on your choice)peel and deveign the shrimp, leave the tails intact - cut the chicken and/or lamb into 1/8 inch x 1 inch pieces.
• 3 mix together fish sauce, sugar, vinegar and tomato puree until sugar is dissolved, set aside.
• 4 slice the scallions on the diagonal 1/4 inch thick, set aside.
• 5 heat a wok and add the oil, then stirfry the meat and garlic - when meat is cooked (no longer pink) add the drained noodles and quickly stir to coat with oil - quickly add the sauce and stir carefully to avoid breaking the noodles.
• 6 move the noodles to the side and add eggs - let them set a bit then break them up and continue to stir fry - add additional oil if necessary to keep noodles from sticking- continue to toss until eggs are nicely distributed.
• 7 add 3/4 cup peanuts, bean sprouts and scallions - toss.
• 8 remove to serving platter, garnish with 1/4 cup ground peanuts, sprinkle with the chili flakes and serve with lime wedges to squeeze over the top.