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1
Drain the tofu and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
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2
Place the pieces between several paper towels, top with a heavy pan, and let stand for 15 minutes to press out any excess water.
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3
Peel and finely chop the garlic or pass it through a garlic press.
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4
Trim the green onions, discarding the ends, and cut the white and about 1 inch of the green part into thin slices.
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5
Combine the fish sauce, water, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and crushed red pepper in a bowl, stir well, and set aside.
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6
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the rice noodles.
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7
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until al dente.
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8
Drain in a colander.
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9
Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs.
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10
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
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11
Remove from the pan and set aside.
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12
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the eggs are completely cooked.
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13
Remove from the pan and set aside.
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14
Add the noodles, garlic, and fish sauce mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
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15
Add the eggs, tofu, bean sprouts, green onion, and cilantro and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until warm.
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16
Place in a large serving bowl and top with the chopped peanuts.
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17
Various versions of pad Thai have been around for centuries, but it really gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s.
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18
The prime minister at that time thought that if he could get the people to eat more rice noodles they would have more rice to export.
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19
That began the trend, but it got another boost when the government heavily promoted producing noodles and running noodle shops as a way to revive the Thai economy following World War II.
