Pad Thai [General]
2009 Apr 1
ottawafoodies.com/forum/861
Captain Caper has a copy of Savana Cafe's pad thai, which is pretty flavourful and suaced (though I find it a tad sweet). I haven't had Siam's, so I'm not sure how it is sauced..
Captain Caper has a copy of Savana Cafe's pad thai, which is pretty flavourful and suaced (though I find it a tad sweet). I haven't had Siam's, so I'm not sure how it is sauced..
2009 Apr 1
If you want less sweet, less saucy, use tamarind paste diluted in water, or tamarind sauce with some minced preserved turnip. Another good recipe to follow is this: www.thaitable.com
That is the one I base my recipe from.
That is the one I base my recipe from.
2009 Apr 2
Pad Thai is one of those simple but tricky dishes--hard to get all of the flavours in balance consistently. My "tricks":
1) I usually use chicken, which I marinate in fish sauce, corn starch, and Shaoxing wine for 30 minutes, then stir fry for the Pad Thai.
2) My secret ingredient is powdered dry shrimp, maybe 1.5 tsp per serving added at the very end: Small, whole dried shrimps are of course traditional in Pad Thai, but I don't fancy their texture. The powdered ones add the flavour without the texture.
3) I like including a bit of pickled mustard greens (traditional, as I understand it). Same idea as the pickled turnip.
4) I used LOTS of tamarind paste. Soak a lump of pulp the size of a golf ball per serving.
5) The most common flaws I find in commercial versions are A) too sweet and B) too saucy. Ick.
1) I usually use chicken, which I marinate in fish sauce, corn starch, and Shaoxing wine for 30 minutes, then stir fry for the Pad Thai.
2) My secret ingredient is powdered dry shrimp, maybe 1.5 tsp per serving added at the very end: Small, whole dried shrimps are of course traditional in Pad Thai, but I don't fancy their texture. The powdered ones add the flavour without the texture.
3) I like including a bit of pickled mustard greens (traditional, as I understand it). Same idea as the pickled turnip.
4) I used LOTS of tamarind paste. Soak a lump of pulp the size of a golf ball per serving.
5) The most common flaws I find in commercial versions are A) too sweet and B) too saucy. Ick.
2009 Apr 4
You can also get powdered/ground dry shrimp at many Asian markets, saving a bit of trouble. I get them at Maniphat on Somerset.
The owner there did say that the non-powdered ones were better quality, though, so maybe Chef Obi's efforts are worthwhile.
One other tip for Pad Thai--I use a lot of oil for sauteing the noodles--probably about 2 or even 3 TB per serving. Without that much oil, the dish ends up being soupy and the noodles are mushy.
The owner there did say that the non-powdered ones were better quality, though, so maybe Chef Obi's efforts are worthwhile.
One other tip for Pad Thai--I use a lot of oil for sauteing the noodles--probably about 2 or even 3 TB per serving. Without that much oil, the dish ends up being soupy and the noodles are mushy.
2009 Apr 8
PULLLLLLEEEEASE tell me where I can buy tamarind paste in Ottawa!!! I have been highly unsuccessful in my search. When I make pad thai, the sauce is a mixture of peanut butter, lime juice, ketchup, honey and whatever else I manage to put in trying so desparately to make it edible and taste as it should.
Thx a million!
Thx a million!
2009 Apr 8
The chezpim instructions are really good - pretty much the way we make it at home. One of the better points, which I don't think was mentioned previously - cook 1 serving at a time. At home I can't usually use a wok, because of my stinking flat top stove, but we use a really big heavy frying pan (cast iron would be perfect) and get it hot. Not skimping on the oil helps a lot. If the pan isn't hot enough, seasoned enough, or you try to do too big a serving, everything gets clumpy and gross.
For Tamarind sources - I think every Asian grocery has it in a brick. You have to soak it and strain it.
For Tamarind sources - I think every Asian grocery has it in a brick. You have to soak it and strain it.
2009 Apr 11
Did someone say shrimp paste ?
Here it is in solid brick form
It's all real shrimp flavour and salt !
I use it in Pad Thai, a well as, stir-fries with oyster sauce (and peanuts from The Sudan) and seafood chowder. Quite versatile and a little goes a;omg way.
Powerful stuff ... when ya smell it. It mellos when cooked,
Here it is in solid brick form
It's all real shrimp flavour and salt !
I use it in Pad Thai, a well as, stir-fries with oyster sauce (and peanuts from The Sudan) and seafood chowder. Quite versatile and a little goes a;omg way.
Powerful stuff ... when ya smell it. It mellos when cooked,
2010 Apr 21
the new york times has a recipe for pad thai that i thought i would try. i have a question though, it calls for tamarind paste, but doesn't say anything about straining it. what do you suggest i do? it puts the paste, honey, fish sauce and vinegar directly in a pan and heat. what about the seeds and pulpy bits in the tamarind paste?
here is the recipe (i'll be using tofu instead of shrimp).
Pad Thai
Time: 25 minutes
4 ounces fettuccine-width rice stick noodles
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup tamarind paste
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 pound peeled shrimp, pressed tofu or a combination
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, quartered.
1. Put noodles in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit until noodles are just tender; check every 5 minutes or so to make sure they do not get too soft. Drain, drizzle with one tablespoon peanut oil to keep from sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, put tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring just to a simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside.
2. Put remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when oil shimmers, add scallions and garlic and cook for about a minute. Add eggs to pan; once they begin to set, scramble them until just done. Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add shrimp or tofu (or both).
3. When shrimp begin to turn pink and tofu begins to brown, add drained noodles to pan along with sauce. Toss everything together to coat with tamarind sauce and combine well. When noodles are warmed through, serve, sprinkling each dish with peanuts and garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings.
here is the recipe (i'll be using tofu instead of shrimp).
Pad Thai
Time: 25 minutes
4 ounces fettuccine-width rice stick noodles
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup tamarind paste
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 eggs
1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 pound peeled shrimp, pressed tofu or a combination
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, quartered.
1. Put noodles in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit until noodles are just tender; check every 5 minutes or so to make sure they do not get too soft. Drain, drizzle with one tablespoon peanut oil to keep from sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, put tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring just to a simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside.
2. Put remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when oil shimmers, add scallions and garlic and cook for about a minute. Add eggs to pan; once they begin to set, scramble them until just done. Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add shrimp or tofu (or both).
3. When shrimp begin to turn pink and tofu begins to brown, add drained noodles to pan along with sauce. Toss everything together to coat with tamarind sauce and combine well. When noodles are warmed through, serve, sprinkling each dish with peanuts and garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings.
2010 Apr 22
now, i am getting confused. friday am, i'll be in china town and can stop and pick up the tamarind. will it be a paste (seed free) or a block (with seeds) that i will find? if it is a block, i know to soak and strain. will i then use 1/4 cup of the strained mix? will it be really watery, or thick and pastey?
in my mind, i am going to walk into the store and see both types and easily find a tamarind paste and measure out a 1/4 cup and use straight away - no soaking or straining.
interesting about using brown sugar for the honey. why the substitution?
in my mind, i am going to walk into the store and see both types and easily find a tamarind paste and measure out a 1/4 cup and use straight away - no soaking or straining.
interesting about using brown sugar for the honey. why the substitution?
2010 Apr 22
This may post twice - technical difficulties.
Q1. - 1/4 of strained mix, it will be watery. I'm not sure why they heat it together with the other ingredients, I've never done this or seen it done, but hey why not try something different. 1/4 cup of straight up paste will be very strong. (lots of fibre!). Check the previous link from Poutine to get an idea of the ratios of ingredients.
Q2. In thailand they use palm sugar for sweetening. A reasonable alternative is brown sugar, although you can probably pick up palm sugar in chinatown. Honey may work ok, its not traditional, and depending if you have more buckwheat or clover or whatever the flavor varies wildly.
Q1. - 1/4 of strained mix, it will be watery. I'm not sure why they heat it together with the other ingredients, I've never done this or seen it done, but hey why not try something different. 1/4 cup of straight up paste will be very strong. (lots of fibre!). Check the previous link from Poutine to get an idea of the ratios of ingredients.
Q2. In thailand they use palm sugar for sweetening. A reasonable alternative is brown sugar, although you can probably pick up palm sugar in chinatown. Honey may work ok, its not traditional, and depending if you have more buckwheat or clover or whatever the flavor varies wildly.
2010 May 2
finally getting around to making this tonight. i was at T & T on friday and had a hard time finding tamarind in any form. i asked someone stocking shelves and they weren't sure what it was, so they asked someone, who asked someone else. finally after 3 workers, plus myself scouring the shelves we found a bottle of tamarind concentrate.
google tells me that tamarind concentrate is also called tamarind paste. at any rate, i will try it and report back. i will combine this easy recipe with chez pim recipe and instructions.
google tells me that tamarind concentrate is also called tamarind paste. at any rate, i will try it and report back. i will combine this easy recipe with chez pim recipe and instructions.
Haughty Sauciness