Making Pad Thai with Shrimp

The key to making great pad Thai is twofold. First, you will need to have all the ingredients for the dish prepped before you begin the cooking process because the cooking process is very speedy. Second, you will want to stir fry this dish very quickly, being sure not to overcook the shrimp or noodles.

Pad Thai Sauce
Ingredients You Will Need:

1/3 cup fish sauce
¼ cup white granulated sugar
1/3 cup tamarind pulp (premade)
½ teaspoon Thai chili powder

Combine these ingredients in a food processor and process thoroughly.  Set the sauce aside for use while making the pad Thai with shrimp.

Authentic Pad Thai with Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
Pad Thai noodles, 1 package
1 pound shrimp, uncooked, cleaned, deveined, and tails removed
¼ cup cooking oil of your choice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
1 egg
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup bean sprouts

In a sauce pan, boil water. Add pad Thai noodles to the pot of boiling water and cook for three minutes. Drain noodles and run under cold water to prevent further cooking. You want the noodles only slightly cooked, very al dente.

Heat your wok with the quarter cup of cooking oil in it until it is smoking hot. Throw in the garlic and ginger root and stir fry quickly for one minute. Add the shrimp and a couple tablespoons of your pad Thai sauce and toss in wok for one minute. Add noodles and toss for two minutes. Crack the egg right into the middle of the wok. Let it sit for one minute, then toss vigorously. Add the carrots and bean sprouts and toss for one minute more. Now add remainder of sauce, mix thoroughly, and remove from heat. Serve immediately with generous servings of lime wedges or crushed peanuts.  This dish is fabulous with a Riesling or a glass of champagne.