Pad Thai - Wide Noodles with Pork and Tamarind

Pad Thai is a Thai-influenced dish which uses wide rice noodles and is sauteed in tart tamarind sauce with seasonings. This particular recipe used pork slices, and vegetables added to the noodles and simmering savory sauce. Top the noodle dish with crushed roasted peanuts, tofu cubes, scallions and lemon for sprinkling all over. This recipe on The Quirino Kitchen by Elizabeth Ann Quirino was inspired by a Paht Thai recipe in the cookbook Simply Vegetarian Thai Cooking by Nancie McDermott.

Cook Time20

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Keyword: Pad Thai

Calories: 57kcal

Author: Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

Large Skillet or Wok: 12 to 14 inches
Medium-sized Stockpot
chopping board

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks scallion whites, chopped
1 square inch tamarind pulp paste; or use 2 Tablespoons tamarind liquid concentrate
1/2 cup vegetable or pork broth; add 1/4 cup more as needed, if the dish dries out
1 Tablespoon patis (fish sauce)
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce; preferably Filipino or Chinese-brands
1/4 pound pork shoulder or tenderloin, sliced into slim 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup togue (mung bean sprouts)
2 cups shredded bok choy; or use napa cabbage
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the pad thai:

8 ounces wide dried rice noodles; boiled according to package directions

For the toppings:

1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, crushed
1 8 ounce block extra firm tofu, pan-fried, sliced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 stalks scallion greens, chopped, for garnish
2 whole lemons, sliced; for garnish; and sprinkling on top

For serving:

1/2 cup patis (fish sauce), as a side dipping sauce

Instructions

To cook the sauce:

In a large skillet or wok, over medium-high heat, add the oil. When oil is hot enough in about 2 minutes, saute the garlic and scallion whites.
Melt the tamarind pulp paste in 1/4 of a cup of warm water till it dissolves (or if using tamarind liquid concentrate, pour 2 tablespoons instead).
Pour the tamarind and the broth into the skillet.
Add patis (fish sauce), soy sauce, and sugar to the tamarind mixture in the skillet. Mix well.
Add the slices of pork and combine the ingredients. Cook till the meat is done, about 8 minutes.
Follow package instructions of the dried wide noodles for boiling.
Drain the noodles and add these to the tamarind broth mixture in the skillet.
Incorporate ingredients well so that the liquid coats the noodles.
Continue cooking for about 5 minutes more till the noodles have softened.
Add the togue (mung bean sprouts) and the shredded bok choy. Mix vegetables, noodles and the liquid well.
Continue cooking for about 5 minutes more till vegetables have softened.
Season with salt.

To assemble the pad thai:

Plate the cooked pad thai noodles and sauce on a large rimmed platter. Leave some of the sliced meats for the top.
Add the following toppings: crushed peanuts, sliced tofu, chopped scallion greens, and slices of fresh lemon for sprinkling.
Serve warm, with a side dipping sauce of additional patis (fish sauce).

Cook's comments:

Pad Thai is a versatile, easy and forgiving noodle dish. You can substitute the dried wide noodles with fresh ones. Or if preferred, you can use other type of wheat noodles for this recipe.
For an all-vegetable noodle dish, you can skip the pork and simply cook it with vegetables. Add veggies in season if desired.
Leftover Pad Thai can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
This dish does not freeze well, though - the noodles and vegetables get watery if kept in the freezer, so I do not advise it.
If a spicy version of Pad Thai is desired, add half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes in the saute mix.

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