Pad Thai

A burst of salty, sweet and tart - pad thai is a simple, yet fresh comfort dish. I found that it gets even better as it sits and the flavors are given time to merry, so you can enjoy left overs all week long! 

Garlic, Cilantro, Basil, Green Onion, Peanuts, Bean Sprouts, Tofu

Tofu & Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• Tofu
• 7-8 Tablespoons Asian Fish Sauce
• 1 Cup Water
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 3/4 lb. pad thai noodles (or linguini if you can't find the pad thai noodles)
• 2/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• Julienned green onions

Directions:

Clean the chicken and cut it into bite size pieces. In separate bowls, marinade the chicken and tofu  each in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining fish sauce, water, 2 tablespoons lime juice, brown sugar, salt, cayenne, red pepper flakes, and white pepper. 

In boiling water, cook the pad thai noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain and rinse the noodles to prevent them from continuing to cook. 

In a large frying pan, or wok, heat a little oil and cook the chicken about 3-4 minutes, until just done. Remove and cook the tofu about 1-2 minutes, until just done. Remove and put a little more oil in the pan and add the garlic. Cook just until you start smelling the garlic aroma, then add the cooked noodles and liquid mixture to the pan. Stir continuously, as if you were tossing a salad, so that all the ingredients combine and the noodle start absorbing the sauce. After about 4 minutes, add the chicken, tofu and peanuts. Stir over heat for about 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the remaining lime juice, bean sprouts, green onions, basil and half the cilantro. At this point taste it to make sure the seasoning is just right. I like to add a dash or two more fish sauce right at the end to enhance the flavor. Last, serve and top with remaining peanuts, cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime (or lime wedge).