Shrimp Pad Thai

This is one of my favorite show-off meals. Most people have only had it in a restaurant, if ever, and they think it's really hard to make or full of exotic ingredients.  In my experience, it's pretty simple and most ingredients are easy to find.

One ingredient that can be a little different is the fish sauce.  You can find it in the ethnic section of most grocery stores.  It's generally cheap (yeah!) and in a huge bottle.  It is shelf stable for years.  I keep mine in the fridge, but that's only because I don't want it lost in the back of the pantry.  I really don't need two bottles of it just because I couldn't find the first.  I've been cooking with fish sauce for 10 years and I'm only on my second bottle!

The other is bean sprouts.  Although you can make your own with a little moisture and some dried beans, it's a whole lot easier to buy them.  The produce section of the grocery store usually has them near some of the herbs or in an ethnic section.  HyVee has them bulk here, but they are also pre-packaged in a lot of stores.  If you can't find them fresh, they exist in a canned version.  It's not nearly as good, though.  These don't keep well, so buy them within a day or two of when you plan to use them.  Also, rinse them very well.

This recipe is from Joy of Cooking.  The prep work is a little time consuming, but if you're serving it to guests, all of that can be done in advance.  The actual cooking time is pretty short.  It serves 3-4 people (or two if you're really hungry).  Leftovers are good reheated in the microwave.

If I remember correctly, we made this for you a couple of years ago.  Maybe it was before you left for Italy?

Shrimp Pad Thai
Soak in hot water for 20-30 minutes:
6 ounces dried rice stick noodles (they are wide noodles that are about 6 inches long)
Drain and cover.

Stir together in a medium bowl:
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Peel, devein and halve lengthwise
8 oz. large shrimp
(or you can do what I do, and find the cheaper medium shrimp and don't bother halving them.  Also, most shrimp comes deveined and if it doesn't, you don't have to do it if you don't want to bother.  It's purely aesthetic)

 Toss into the cornstarch mixture and marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Place in a small bowl:
3 large eggs, well-beaten

Place on a small plate:
1/2 cup scallions in 1 1/2 inch pieces (we use fresh chives or scallions, depending on what we have available.  You could even use plain white onion, just use about 1/2 the amount and cut it in thin strips.  The green is prettier, though)
2-3 fresh red chili peppers, chopped (if you can't find these or don't want it as spicy, you can skip this part and just add the crushed red pepper at the end to your taste preference)
2 Tablespoons finely minced garlic (I use about 6 cloves pressed through my garlic press)

Stir together in a small bowl:
1/4 cup thai fish sauce (nam pla is the thai name. I use whatever fish sauce I can find, since my choices are limited)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons sugar

On a plate, put these in clockwise order starting at the top (you add them in this order at the end in fairly quick succession, so it's easiest if they are all arrayed on a plate):
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped (I have a friend who actually adds a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter to the fish sauce bowl above and skips this, but I prefer the chopped peanuts)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut in thin strips
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less, depending on your preference in spiciness)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

To cook:
Heat a wok (because everybody has one, right?  Just kidding!) or a large skillet over high heat.  When it's hot, pour in:
1/3 cup peanut oil (you can use another oil, but the flavor is best with peanut.  It's also generally considered the best oil for stir-frying)
Swirl it around until it is hot, but not smoking - this happens really quickly.  Maybe 20 seconds?
Add shrimp and cook until they are translucent (or until they are pink and white like cocktail shrimp).  Remove to a plate with paper towels on it.
Add 2 more tablespoons peanut oil and swirl briefly.
Slowly pour in the eggs, stirring constantly, and cook until set.  Remove to a plate
Add 3 more tablespoons peanut oil and swirl again.
Add the scallion/garlic mixture and stir briefly (10 seconds, just enough that the garlic browns a little - try not to burn the garlic, although I find it's nearly impossible when cooking at high temperatures).
Add the noodles and stir until well coated.
Add the fish sauce mixture and stir well.
Add the shrimp.
Add the eggs and stir well.
Add the ingredients on the plate in the order given and stir after adding each.
Serve!