Asian Noodles -- Pad Thai

Recipes on this page were developed or tested by Cece Sullivan of the Times food staff. The recipes are evaluated by staff members and are printed in a format suitable for clipping.

The unusual ingredients used in these recipes can be found in Asian groceries.

The following recipe is from "Tommy Tang's Modern Thai Cuisine".

PAD THAI 4 servings; approximate preparation time 45 minutes

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1/2 cup cold water

8 ounces rice stick noodles, about 1/8-inch wide

1/2 cup diced tofu (about 1/4-inch dice)

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

1/2 pound medium prawns, peeled, deveined and cut crosswise into halves

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts, divided

1/2 cup bean sprouts, rinsed, drained and patted dry

3 green onions, slivered

1. Put the tamarind paste into the cold water and mash slightly with a spoon. Set aside 30 minutes, pressing occasionally to release the tamarind. Strain, reserving the liquid.

2. Put the rice stick noodles into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside 40 minutes until softened. Drain. The noodles can be cut into shorter lengths with a scissors. Set aside.

3. Place the tofu on a paper towel-lined plate, cover with another paper towel and let drain while the noodles are soaking.

4. Combine the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, paprika and cayenne. Set aside.

5. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the prawns and tofu; saute 1 minute. Add the eggs and stir 30 seconds. Add the noodles, tamarind liquid, the fish sauce mixture and about half of the peanuts. Stir constantly for 3 minutes, until the noodles have absorbed the liquid.

6. Stir in the bean sprouts and green onions. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts.

Note: To prepare a vegetarian dish from this recipe omit the prawns and double the amount of tofu.

Data per serving Calories 498 Protein 21g Fat 18g Carbohydrates 64g Sodium 1164mg Saturated fat 3g Monounsaturated fat 7g Polyunsaturated fat 5g Cholesterol 173mg