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Prepping:.
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Start with soaking the dry noodles in lukewarm or room temperature water while preparing the other ingredients.
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Getting the noodles just right is the trickiest part of making Pad Thai.
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Make sure that the noodles are submerged in plenty of water.
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Check out Tips and Substitutions for in depth explanations.
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By the time you are ready to put ingredients in the pan, the noodles should be flexible but not mushy.
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Julienne tofu and cut into 1 inch long matchsticks.
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When cut, the super firm tofu/pressed tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency.
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You can fry the tofu separately until golden brown and hard, or you can fry with other ingredients below.
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Cut the Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces.
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Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish.
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Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh.
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Mince shallot and garlic together.
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Cooking:.
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Use a wok.
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If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do.
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Heat it up on high heat and pour oil in the wok.
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Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove them from the wok.
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The peanuts can be toasted in the pan without oil as well.
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Add shallot, preserved turnip, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to brown.
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The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point.
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Drain the noodles and add to the wok.
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Stir quickly to keep things from sticking.
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Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce and chili pepper.
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Stir.
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The heat should remain high.
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If your wok is not hot enough, you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point.
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Turn up the heat, if it is the case.
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Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok.
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Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked.
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Fold the egg into the noodles.
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The noodles should soft and chewy.
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Pull a strand out and taste.
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If the noodles are too hard (not cooked), add a little bit of water.
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When you get the right taste, add shrimp and stir.
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Sprinkle white pepper around.
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Add bean sprouts and chives.
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Stir a few more times.
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The noodles should be soft, dry and very tangled.
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Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with ground pepper and peanuts.
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Serve hot with the banana flower slice, a wedge of lime on the side, raw Chinese chives and raw bean sprouts on top.
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As always, in Thailand, condiments such as sugar, chili pepper, vinegar and fish sauce are available at your table for your personal taste.
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Some people add more chili pepper or sugar at the table.
