Okinawan Style Pad Thai Recipes

PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.
• Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Saute chicken until browned. Remove, and set aside. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes.

PAD THAI

Steps:

• For the Pad Thai Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, vinegar, paprika and chili sauce. Set aside.
• For the Pad Thai: Soak the noodles in enough warm water to cover for 1 hour.
• If using, cut the banana leaf into round shapes using an overturned bowl. Place on the serving platter and hold for plating.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil and coat the skillet completely. When the skillet starts to smoke, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 seconds. Add the tofu and dried shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Push ingredients in the skillet to one side and let the oil settle in the center of skillet. Crack the eggs into the oil and let set until half-cooked, about 30 seconds, then lightly scramble. Combine with the remaining cooked ingredients in the skillet, scraping the bits from the bottom before they burn. Add 3 cups of the drained noodles and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve the noodle soaking water.
• Add the salted turnip and shrimp. Cook until both the chicken and shrimp are at medium doneness, about 1 minute. Add the sauce and fold together until all the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Place half of the bean sprouts, half of the crushed peanuts and the garlic chives (or scallions) in the center of noodles, and then spoon some noodles over them to cover and let steam for 30 seconds. If the skillet seems dry, add a small amount of the noodle soaking water. Transfer to a serving plate with the banana leaf circle, and garnish with the remaining bean sprouts, peanuts and lime.

CLASSIC CHICKEN PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in a bowl of water for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add tofu. Cook chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and shrimp paste to the wok and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, then add fish sauce mixture and drained noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Push noodles to one side of the wok. Crack the eggs into the other side. Scramble until firm, about 3 minutes. Stir into the noodles. Serve with peanuts, bean sprouts, and lime wedges.

CLASSIC PAD THAI

Steps:

• Cover noodles with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes; drain well and reserve.
• Heat half the oil in a wok or deep skillet set over high heat. Crumble in chicken and add hot sauce; stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until browned. Reserve on a platter.
• Add remaining oil and peppers to pan; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add shrimp and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, broth, ketchup, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Add noodles and reserved meat; toss mixture to combine. Heat through.
• Add sprouts and toss gently. Sprinkle with onions, coriander and peanuts.

AUTHENTIC PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with several inches of room temperature water; let soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain.
• Whisk sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil and minced garlic in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir in eggs; scramble until eggs are nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken breast slices and rice noodles; stir to combine.
• Stir in tamarind mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; cook until noodles are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with bean sprouts, chives, paprika, and lime wedges.