# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  Pad Thai

## andynap

Today was our 34th Wedding Anniversary and I had all kinds of places to go for dinner but Phyllis nixed that and asked for my Shrimp Pad Thai instead. So I did it- if there is an Asian Grocery near you have most of the ingredients which will last for a while. The prep is a bear but the end product is worth it. 

The ingredients- some doubled up- 

 

The dish

 

Dessert- 

 


The recipe from America's Test Kitchen

Pad Thai (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp tamarind paste or substitute (see note at bottom of recipe)
3/4 cup boiling water
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
8 oz dried rice stick noodles, about 1/4 inch wide
2 large eggs
salt
12 oz medium (40-50/lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tbsp dried shrimp, chopped fine (optional)
2 tbsp chopped Thai salted preserved radish (optional)
6 tbsp chopped, unsalted roasted peanuts
3 cups (6 oz) bean sprouts
8 oz tofu (optional)
5 medium scallions, greens parts only, sliced thin on a sharp diagonal
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)
lime wedges for garnish
1. Rehydreate the tamarind paste in boiling water (see note below). Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tbsp of the oil into the tamarind liquid. Set aside.
2. If using tofu, blot it well by wrapping it in a clean dish towel and pressing it until the towel is moist. Then cut into 1/2 cubes.
3. Cover the rice sticks with hot tap water in a large bowl and soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the noodles and set aside. Beat the eggs and 1/8 tsp salt in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 12-inch skillet (preferably non-stick) over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and browned aout the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
5. Off the heat, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, set the skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly until light golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet and stir vigorously until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds. Add the rice noodles, the radish, and the dried shrimp (if using) to the eggs, toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine. Pour the fish sauce mixture over the noodles, increase the heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly until the noodles are evenly coated. Scatter 1/4 cup of peanuts, the bean sprouts, all but 1/4 cup of the scallions, tofu, and the cooked shrimp (if using) over the noodles, continue to cook, tossing constantly until the noodles are tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. (If not yet tender, add 2 tbsp of water to the skillet and continue to cook until tender.)
6. Transfer the noodles to a serving platte and sprinkle with the remaining scallions, the reamining 2 tbsp peanuts, and the cilantro (if using). Serve immediately, passing the lime wedges separately.
Tamarind options: 1) use tamarind paste or pulp (preferred method), soaking 2 tbsp of it in 3/4 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, then push through a mesh strainer to remove seeds and fibers; 2) mix 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate with 2/3 cup hot water; 3) combine 1/3 cup lime juice with 1/3 cup water and substitute brown sugar for white in the recipe (do not serve with lime wedges or it will be too lime-y)

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## MIke R

how funny.that is exactly what we had tonight only it was take out from the Thai restaurant....

Happy Anniversary....I'll be in my 80's if I make to my 35th....LOL

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## Jeanette

Happy Anniversary, Phyllis and Andy! Wow, 34 years!!!

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## andynap

Thanks. It certainly seems like yesterday. She keeps me laughing all the time- a gem.

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## JEK

Bon Anniversarie de Mariage A et P!

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## Jeanette

You are blessed to have found each other and the best part is that you realize it!

(I was being nice and didn't mention that I was in 6th grade at Nazareth Academy when you got married.   :Wink:  )

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## MIke R

> Thanks. It certainly seems like yesterday. She keeps me laughing all the time- a gem.



nothing like a good woman, when its right....nothing

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## andynap

> You are blessed to have found each other and the best part is that you realize it!
> 
> (I was being nice and didn't mention that I was in 6th grade at Nazareth Academy when you got married.   )



 

Almost everyone here could make that statement.

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## Jeanette

My first statement or my second statement?

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## JEK

I was married for 4 years :)

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## MIke R

> I was married for 4 years :)




I was married one year and my wife was pregnant with Melissa

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## Jeanette

> I was married for 4 years :)



Well, there's one benefit to hanging with you boys on a Friday night. Makes a gal feel young...  :Wink:

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## andynap

> My first statement or my second statement?




The 2nd statement.

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## KevinS

Happy Anniversary A & P!

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## GramChop

happy anniversary, andy and phyllis!

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## phil62

Bonjour Andy. A day late that I am reading of your anniversary dinner preparation.. Congratulations to A & P from the other A & P-I am told that belated good wishes still work. Amy

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## Grey

Andynap -- Happy anniversary and congratulations on 34yrs of wedded bliss.  You were so thoughtful to make your wife such a wonderful dinner!  What were the desserts?  Those looked good too.

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## phil62

By the way Andy-I noticed the desserts were photographed on a platter from a still great restaurant in Grand Case, St Martin-Auberge Gourmand. I have plates from Sebastiano's, which sadly  is now closed, too. Amy

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## JEK

> By the way Andy-I noticed the desserts were photographed on a platter from a still great restaurant in Grand Case, St Martin-Auberge Gourmand. I have plates from Sebastiano's, which sadly  is now closed, too. Amy



I think he stole the silverware too :)

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## phil62

Actually they sold the dishes at Auberge Gourmand. When Sebastiano's changed from the brown dish with the leaning Tower of Pisa on it, owner Christine gave us a couple of the big plates which I have on display in my kitchen all the time. A shame to see that fine restaurant and Rainbow are both now closed.

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## JEK

I just knew he didn't "lift" it :)

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## julianne

Happy start of your 35th year together!

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## andynap

> Actually they sold the dishes at Auberge Gourmand. When Sebastiano's changed from the brown dish with the leaning Tower of Pisa on it, owner Christine gave us a couple of the big plates which I have on display in my kitchen all the time. A shame to see that fine restaurant and Rainbow are both now closed.




Thanks all- I bought the dish from Auberge the year I had the 20 chicken liver lunch there and had a heart attack 2 months later- I always swore that's what put me over the top.
The dessert was from MIEL Pattisserie in center city- Cheeescake and Rum soaked Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse.

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## MIke R

what do you think that lunch was packing - 100+ grams of saturated fat???

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## andynap

> what do you think that lunch was packing - 100+ grams of saturated fat???




At least and since it takes awhile to settle in your arteries that did it in my mind. Of course, it would have happened sooner or later anyway- it was sooner. I never expected that many chicken livers for lunch-

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## MIke R

yeah it was going to happen either way......
alls well that ends well

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## Theresa

Andy, belated happy anniversary wishes to you and your beautiful bride.  You are both blessed.

Your dinner looks wonderful.

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## andynap

Thanks T.

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