Pad Thai

One-meal-dish type Pad Thai is our family's ultimate comfort food. It has become our staple food since I have cooked it for the first time couple years ago.
We like our Pad Thai with tofu or shrimp and we like it with wide noodles. Peanuts are not required - it is rather a nice addition Without peanuts it is still very tasty, satisfying and flavorful meal.
Don't be affraid to cook it - it is simpler than you think. Important part is to do preparation work first, because once you start putting everything into your wok (or pan) - it's going on fast and in a blink of an eye you are at the finish line. So, pre-mix your sauce, wash and chop everything first. Also do not substitute lime juice with bottled one - it's totaly different stuff. Recipe calls for cilantro but you won't see it on this picture - we were so anxcious to dig into our lovely pad thai that I forgot about cilantro I chopped and set aside! Also I noted that pad thai has that taste - I call it "taste attack"- when the first bite is "OK", the second one is "WELL, IT'S BETTER THAN IT SEEMS", and the third one just knocks you out and then it's really hard to say to youself  "ENOUGH" :)  I have warned you :)

Pad Thai

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 or 2 blocks of firm tofu 
1 lb of raw shrimp (optional)
2-3 eggs (depends how much tofu you use)
2 tbs minced or grated garlic
1-2 lb of bean sprouts
3 green onions
1lb rice noodles
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup of roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
3 tbs chopped cilantro

Sauce:

1/3 cup fish sauce

3 tbs brown sugar

3 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs rice vinegar 

1 tsp red pepper flakes

juice of 1 lime

- Get excess of liquid from tofu by placing blocks of tofu between two cutting boards layered with paper towels. Put some weight on a top - usually, I put pot with a water. Leave it alone for a 20-30 minutes and then cut tofu in 2/3" cubes.

- Cook rice noodles accoding to the package instructions. Note that it's better to undercook your noodles than overcook. I cooked my wide noodles for 5 minutes in a boiling water and then drained and rinsed under cold water. Set noodles aside.

- Briefly whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Set aside.

- Mince garlic, cut onions into 1 inch sticks, set it aside.

- Mix your sauce ingredients and set aside.

- Now, fun part: in a heated skillet (take your biggest one or wok), pour olive oil and fry tofu on a medium heat for about 15 minutes until golden crust forms.

- Throw garlic and eggs into a wok at the same time and stir very nicely that the tofu all covered in eggs. Continue to stir until pieces looks dry and start to crust again.

- Now throw bean sprouts and cook for about 5 minutes. If you decide to add raw shrimp to your pad thai it is time to do it. Cook them along with bean sprouts until shrimp are all pink and cooked.

- Add remaining ingredients: noodles, onion and sauce to a wok and cook stirring for about 5 more minutes until sauce is absorbed. That's it - pad thai is done. Turn heat off and set your wok away from heat.

- Serve topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Be ready to be asked for seconds. If you will happen to have leftovers - you'll be standing in line next day to get one! Enjoy!