8 oz. pad Thai rice noodles, or enough for 2 people
12 to 15 small to medium raw shrimp (shells removed)
1 tbsp. soy sauce (use wheat-free for gluten-free diets)
3 to 4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 egg
2 to 3 cups bean sprouts
2 to 3 green onions (sliced)
A handful of fresh coriander/cilantro
1/3 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts (chopped)
2 to 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup strong chicken stock
3 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. lime juice
4 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce (use wheat-free for gluten-free diets)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Dunk in noodles and boil until they are limp but still firm and a little "crunchy" to taste. Rinse noodles thoroughly with cold water and set aside. Noodles must be undercooked at this stage to achieve their sticky-chewy texture later when fried.
Toss shrimp in 1 tbsp. soy sauce and set aside. For the pad Thai sauce, combine ingredients in a cup, starting with 3 tbsp. sugar and increasing to 4 as needed. Taste-test for a tangy balance between sweet and sour. Set aside.
You must warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. oil and swirl around, then add garlic and ginger. Stir-fry 1 minute and add the shrimp. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and plump. Push ingredients aside and drizzle a little more oil into the pan. Crack in the egg and stir-fry quickly to scramble (30 seconds).
Add noodles and drizzle over 1/3 of the pad Thai sauce. Using a gentle turning motion, stir-fry everything together. Add more sauce every 30 seconds to 1 minute until sauce is used up and noodles are sticky and chewy tasting ("al dente"—5 to 8 minutes).
Turn off heat. Fold in bean sprouts and green onion—taste-test, adding more fish sauce if not flavorful enough. If too salty or sweet, add a good squeeze of lime. Sprinkle the nuts and coriander on top. Thai chili sauce can be served on the side for those who like it extra spicy.
