Who doesn't know Pad Thai? Even though I have never been to Thailand, Pad Thai is one of my favorite Asian food. Each time I go to Thai restaurant, I often order Pad Thai, besides Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad) of course. Som Tam is my favorite number one :-) In Indonesia, we also have a similar dish but we dont use tamarind juice like in Pad Thai. I have tried making this dish before, as authentic as possible, including using dried shrimp as one the ingredients but my partner didn't really like it. I haven't give it a try again since. The taste was too original for him :-D

After moving in to our new apartment, we discovered a small Thai restaurant not far from our home. At first, we weren't very convinced. We just took the menu flyer and went back home. Few days later we gave it a try. I ordered Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad) and my partner ordered Pad Thai. The lady from the restaurant was so nice, they also offered us a free appetizer. When ordering my Som Tam, I asked the chef lady to make it spicy, just like in Thailand. When my dish came, oh my.. it's super duper spicy. I am a fan of spicy food, but this time, it's beyond my level :-D I managed to finish it but it's hard for me to walk home. I got a stomachache. My partner laughed, he took a picture when I was suffering from this. That was the first time he saw me suffering from chili. He was really mean but I love him, hehe.. Normally I'd laugh at him when he eats spicy food and he couldn't stand it :-D

Long story short, my partner loves the Pad Thai from this small restaurant. I've been going back there several times and the lady recognized me. When I go there for having some take away, I often ask her permission to stand close to the kitchen so I can see her cooking. She even told me the basic ingredients of Pad Thai and I noted it. Yesterday, my partner organized a board games night with his friends and he asked me if I could cook Pad Thai for him and for his friends. I said ok, but dont expect it would be as good as the one from Pintong (the Thai restaurant). Below I share with you the recipe. The taste was good, a bit different from the restaurant but my partner approved it. As for the quantity of the ingredients, I leave it to your own discretion.

Pad Thai

Ingredients

• rice noodles, soaked in the lukewarm water until soft
• bean sprout
• red onion, thinly sliced
• garlic, chopped
• cooking oil
• chives, cut into one inch strips
• chicken, cut into cube
• shrimp, deveined and cleaned

for garnish

• lime
• bean sprout
• crushed roasted peanut
• coriander leaves
• fried shallot
• extra chives (optional)

for Pad Thai sauce
per one portion

• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• palm sugar to taste

Directions

• Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil and stir fry the chopped garlic and some sliced red onion. Stir until fragrant then add in the chicken and the shrimp. Cook for about 2 minutes.
• Add in the rice noodles, some bean sprout and chopped chives. Mix them.
• Add in the Pad Thai sauce, and correct the seasoning by adding more salt and/or sugar to your taste.
• Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with crushed peanut, coriander leaves, chives, more bean sprouts and lime.

Mission Pad Thai has done. Even though I still feel that there were something missing in the sauce, I was satisfied, so as my partner and his friends. That's the most important :-) Do you guys have a Pad Thai's recipe for me to try? If you have one, dont hesitate to write me on the comment below :-)

Thank you for reading. Enjoy your last days in 2017!

Cheers,

All content and images are mine and original. Pictures were taken with Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000.