Pad Thai

This dish turned out so good, especially for my first shot at Thai food! I went to the Asian market by my house after work tonight and found all the ingredients I didn't already have for $12. But that includes the $5 peanut oil that will last me the rest of my life!

The recipe says that it makes 4 servings, but it was more like 8. I'm excited to eat leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bean sprouts
• 6 oz. pad thai rice noodles
• 4 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (I had a lemon so I used that)
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (Doesn't smell like fish at all! I was so scared but it's not gross)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup chopped green onions (Which I just learned are also called scallions, FYI :)

Directions

1. Have all your ingredients chopped/grated and close to you before starting, because you have to cook them pretty quickly.
2. Blanch the bean sprouts for 30 seconds. Now, I'm not going to claim that this is correct, but this is what I did based on my Google search results... never before had I blanched anything! I used my pot that has a steamer built in (a la picture on the right), but if you just put the sprouts in boiling water I bet that would work.
• Put enough water to cover the sprouts in the pot, and bring to a boil.
• Put the sprouts in the steamer (or directly in the water?), close the lid and leave it on for 30 seconds.
• Remove the sprouts and rinse well, then set aside.
3. Bring the water that was already used to a boil. Cook the noodles for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.
5. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt.
6. In another bowl, make the sauce: Combine lime/lemon juice, ketchup, brown sugar and fish sauce.
7. Heat the peanut oil in a large wok or frying pan. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds.
8. Add the pepper flakes and carrot, and cook for one minute. Set the carrot mixture aside.
9. Put the eggs in the same pan that was just used, and scramble them.
10. Add in the carrot mixture, sauce, bean sprouts, noodles, peanuts and green onion. Mix well and cook until heated through.

James and I both loved this, and I even think it would be great to make a few hours before people come over for dinner, then just heat up on the stove when they arrive. It was a lot more work and ingredients than I usually prefer but I'm going to make it again anyway.

For dessert I also picked up mochi!