Shrimp Pad Thai

I've been wanting to make Pad Thai for some time now.  I have a ton of recipes saved and Ron is a big fan of it.  Despite eating Thai food on many occasions, I'd never tried the dish.  But, I figured that Ron deserved it after a number of consecutive meal-less days.  He's patient around finals time.  The least I can do is make him something he'll enjoy.


Honestly, I was overwhelmed.  I have about 18 recipes saved (a habit I need to break!) and each one was different from the next.  Some of the ingredients were completely foreign to me and I was hesitant to substitute anything.  I'm sure you can make healthier versions (using brown rice noodles, preparing your own sauce, etc.) but I decided to stick with the recipe that came on the back of the noodles box and used pre-purchased ingredients.  I'm not a big fan of playing around with ingredients while attempting my first try at a recipe and I was not interested on going on a wild-goose hunt for some of the ingredients.


I really enjoyed this dish.  The only thing I didn't enjoy was waiting for the noodles to soak.  I always make the mistake of waiting until I am completely famished before I start dinner.  Right about that time, I checked the box and read "soak noodles for 25-30 minutes."  Flip! @#@^!#&!!  That's my fault for not reading the recipe earlier in the day (another habit I need to break!).

Shrimp Pad Thai
adapted from A Taste of Thai
Yield:  Serves 2 (but the portions seemed rather large for a 2-person serving, we have plenty of leftovers)
Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Rice Noodles (I used a Taste of Thai)
• 4 tbsp canola oil, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined (chicken, pork, or tofu can be used)
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 c coarsely chopped peanuts
• 1/2 c - 2/3 c Pad Thai sauce
• 2 c bean sprouts
• cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

1. Soak noodles according to directions for saute.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add egg; scramble lightly, about 20 seconds.
4. Add shrimp, meat or tofu; stir-fry until cooked through.
5. Add remaining oil.
6. Add noodles; stir-fry 4-7 minutes until firm but tender.
7. Add scallions, peanuts, and Pad Thai sauce; stir-fry about 1 minute.
8. Stir in bean sprouts.
9. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.