If I had to choose 1 cuisine to live off for the rest of my life it would most definitely be Thai. When living on the farm in Canada I perfected this “cheats” Pad Thai Sauce with the Canadian cupboard staple – Tomato Ketchup. I find it so easy to recreate the sweet, salty, tangy tamarind sauce that is used in one of my go to favourite Thai meals. And seeing as most kiwis have a bottle of tomato sauce somewhere in their kitchen, you too can create this noodle deliciousness…
- 500g prawns – defrosted and tails removed
- 2 red chilis – finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic – finely diced
- wedge of fresh ginger – finely diced
- 1 brown onion – sliced lengthways
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 eggs – whisked
- 2 carrots – peeled and julienned
- 1/2 broccoli – cut into small florets
- bunch of spring onions – sliced
- mung bean sprouts – washed and drained
- 200g rice noodles – cooked according to packet instructions
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts – chopped
- bunch of fresh coriander – chopped
- lemon wedges
| PAD THAI SAUCE |
equal parts (approximately 1/4 cup) of the following –
- soy sauce
- peanut butter
- tomato sauce
and
- dash of fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
Combine the chili, garlic, ginger, onion and soy sauce in a bowl. Add the prawns and mix to coat. Leave to marinate while you prepare other ingredients.
To make the sauce, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and balance flavours accordingly, i.e., add more soy sauce for saltiness, tomato sauce for tanginess. Add a splash of water and whisk to create a smooth glossy sauce.
Heat a dash of oil in a large fry pan or wok over moderate heat. Add eggs and stir fry into scrambled eggs. Set aside.
Using the same pan or wok, heat another dash of oil and add the marinated prawns and the white of the spring onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the carrots and broccoli and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Next add the noodles and egg to the pan, pour over the sauce and stir through to coat all of the noodles. Stir fry until the sauce is piping hot and the prawns are cooked – wont take long!
Last minute, add in the remaining spring onion and mung beans.
Serve each portion with a generous sprinkle of fresh coriander, crushed nuts and a lemon wedge.