Pad Thai

Tags

Chicken, noodles, pad thai, shrimp, thailand, tofu

What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is basically a Thai noodle stir fry with a delicious sweet-sour sauce topped with peanuts. It is made with thin, flat rice noodles and includes bean sprouts, spring onions and scrambled eggs and either chicken , prawns or tofu. The sauce is what makes the dish and it includes fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and tamarind. What is tamarind you might be asking. It is THE ingredient that gives the sauce the flavour it is known for. Authentic Pad Thai is made with tamarind pulp which comes in a block the size of a bar of soap (easily available on Amazon) which is soaked in hot water before being pushed through a sieve to remove the fibers and seeds. You are then left with the paste. If you can find the tamarind puree in a jar, use that instead by all means.
Making Pad Thai is very easy but be sure to have all your ingredients measured and ready to go as you need to move quickly.
I have added peanut butter in my sauce which I think gives the dish an added creaminess and boost of yumminess.
I think this recipe tastes amazing but do not take my word for it… try it yourself and let me know what you think.

Let me tell you a bit about the history of Pad Thai. There is not a dish that screams “Thailand” more than Pad Thai. It is the national dish and eaten literally on every street corner in Thailand but would you believe that it actually did not exist before WW2?? Crazy isn’t it? But true.
Pad Thai was invented in 1938. Thailand suffered a shortage of good quality rice at this time due to the war and serious floods. Plaek Phibunsongkhram who was the PM at the time encouraged people to eat noodles instead. Noodles used only 50% of the grain so were more economical and cheaper to produce.
The government of Thailand created the dish Pad Thai to protect the rice resources. They told the public that by eating this new dish they were helping their country. Several sources say there was a competition to create a national dish using noodles and Pad Thai was the winner.
The government gave out recipes to restaurants and in mail boxes and even offered free carts to people willing to set up stalls and sell in the streets.
So let’s get on with the recipe.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 7oz / 200g flat rice noodles
• 3 T oil (canola, peanut – not olive)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8oz / 250g chicken cut into very thin slices or 8oz / 250g shrimp, raw, shelled and de-veined
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 200g / 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 5 spring onions or garlic chives (¼ cup) chopped 
• 4 T dry roasted peanuts, chopped
• 2 limes
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

For the sauce

• 3 T nuoc mam / nam pla fish sauce
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 3 T light brown sugar
• 2 T tamarind from pulp (see directions)
• 1 T sriracha hot sauce (optional)
• 2 T peanut butter (optional)

Method:

• Cut enough of the tamarind pulp to provide 2T after the following process.   Pour ½ cup boiling water over the tamarind pulp, cover and place aside for 20 minutes.  After the 20 minutes break up the pulp in the hot water and then press the mixture through a fine meshed strainer/sieve.  Discard the solids.
• Cook noodles according to package instructions, just until tender.  Rinse under cold water
• Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sriracha, tamarind paste and peanut butter.  Mix well and set aside.
• Heat a wok or large pan over high heat.  Add oil.
• Add the bell pepper, cook until it softens slightly
• Add garlic and chicken or shrimp.  If using shrimp they will cook very rapidly, about 1-2 minutes until just pink.  If using chicken, cook until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes
• Push the chicken/shrimp to the side of the wok
• Add the eggs and stir as they cook but do not touch too much
• Add bean sprouts, noodles and sauce. Toss well.
• Switch off the stove
• Add spring onions, peanuts and coriander
• Serve immediately with wedges of limes

Bon appetit

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Gnocchi with peas, prosciutto and parmesan

Tags

bacon, gnocchi, ham, parmesan, Pasta, peas, prosciutto, quickmeals

This is one of the easiest recipes and so very quick. Most of the ingredients should  be in your pantry so you do not even have to rush out in times of lockdown to try and source unusual ingredients. You can make your own gnocchi of course or buy a good quality store version, your choice.  Add prosciutto or parma ham or even bacon if that is all you have, a few frozen peas and a sprinkle of parmesan et voila! dinner is ready.  Feel free to add a splash or two of thick cream if you wish but if you are trying to watch calories, then leave it out and the dish will be just as delicious.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Prosciutto 4 slices
Gnocchi 400g / 1 pound
Olive oil 1 to 2 tablespoons
Peas, defrosted 200g / 7oz
Parmesan, freshly grated, 55g / 2oz
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan
Add the prosciutto slices and fry until crisp, turning occasionally
Drain on kitchen paper, then break into shards and set aside
Add the gnocchi to the pan and fry for about 5 minutes until lightly golden on all sides
Add the peas, half the parmesan and a splash of water to the pan and warm through, stirring, until the sauce forms an emulsion
Add the cream, if using, and stir to coat well
Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and the prosciutto shards
Season with salt and black pepper and serve immediately
Bon Appétit!

 

Baked pasta with sausage, sage and butternut

Tags

bechamel sauce, butternut, Cheese, comfort food, gratin, Pasta, sausages, toulouse sausages

This dish is pure comfort food at its very best. It combines all of my favorite comfort foods, pasta, bechamel sauce, sausages and cheese and is cooked like a gratin thereby giving a delicious crusty, cheesy topping. What more could you want? It is inspired from a northern Italian recipe. In the original version, large pasta shells or conchiglioni are used and the sausage stuffing in placed in the shells but if you cannot get hold of them, feel free to use any large pasta such as penne, cavatappi, fusilli, rigatoni or even rotini.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds discarded, chopped into small cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
10 sage leaves, chopped
6 pork sausages (I used Toulouse sausages)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
350g / 12oz pasta
50g / 2oz butter
50g / 2oz plain flour
850ml / 1 ½ pints milk
50g / 2oz parmesan, grated
100g / 4oz grated cheese (emmental, mozzarella mix)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F
Place the butternut in a saucepan with a little water and cook for about 10 minutes until soft
Heat the oil in a frying pan
Add the sage leaves and sizzle for about 1 minute
Remove the sausages from their skins and divide into small balls about the size of a marble or hazelnut
Add the sausage balls to the pan and fry until golden brown
Add half the butternut to the sausage mixture and set aside
Mash the remaining butternut with the nutmeg and any liquid in the pan
Cook the pasta according to package instructions
Melt the butter in a saucepan
Add the flour and stir, cook for 1 to 2 minutes
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes over medium low heat until you have a smooth, thick sauce
Add the mashed butternut, parmesan and seasoning
Spread the sauce and butternut mixture on the bottom of a large, shallow baking dish
Drain the pasta
Place the pasta on top of the sauce
Pour the sausage and sage mixture over the pasta
Scatter the grated cheeses over all
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown
Enjoy!