Pad Thai

Okay. Here it is. Hands-down the MOST popular Thai dish known to mankind. It is served in almost EVERY Thai restaurant.

Ingredients:

1 pack dried rice stick noodles or "sen lek"
1/2 cup dried shrimp
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup chives cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound chicken meat cut into small bite-sized pieces
6 eggs
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons smashed garlic
2 tablespoons smashed onion
1/2 cup of water

Preparation:

1. Soak the rice stick noodles in tepid water for roughly 15 minutes. Then cut the noodles into 4-inch pieces. Strain the noodles, then set them aside.

2. Using a large skillet (preferably a wok) heat the vegetable oil and add in the garlic, and onion.

3. After stirring for 2 minutes, add in the dry shrimp, and stir. Then, one at a time add in the peanuts, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, pepper and chicken, stirring the mixture the entire time.

4. Add the eggs and continue to stir the mixture. Then add in 1/2 cup of water.

5. Add the noodles, and be sure to stir! The noodles tend to burn if not continuously stirred.

6. Check to see if the taste of the dish is suitable to you, if not, then add in either fish sauce (salty), sugar (sweet), vinegar (sour), or soy sauce (salty). Here is where a matter of preference comes into play.

7. The final step is to add in the bean sprouts and chives, just before turning off the burner.

Pad Thai is normally garnished with a heaping portion of uncooked bean sprouts on the side as well as a sprig of cilantro on top and wedges of lime to squeeze on top of the final dish.