As some of you may know, I’m trying to break my dependency on Thai take-out by learning to make it myself.

Pad Thai is one of my very favorite Thai dishes.

It was my very first experience with eating Thai food, way back when, and we instantly fell in love.

It’s so addictive, that it [...]]]>

As some of you may know, I’m trying to break my dependency on Thai take-out by learning to make it myself.

Pad Thai is one of my very favorite Thai dishes.

It was my very first experience with eating Thai food, way back when, and we instantly fell in love.

It’s so addictive, that it was all I could order off of a Thai menu ……..for years.

Sometimes I’d order it with chicken, sometimes with shrimp, sometimes only tofu.

I couldn’t pass it up.

I did eventually learn to love many other Thai dishes equally as much, but Pad Thai will forever hold a special place in my heart.

So, if I was going to be venturing into the world of Thai cooking, I absolutely had to perfect this beloved dish.

Just thinking about making it myself was daunting (so many ingredients!)

But, I was determined, and had somewhat of a new found confidence after the success of my Pad Krapow Moo (see my earlier post).

I did my research, and learned that there are a few very important methods that must be followed for this dish to be a success.  If not, you will have a big noodley flop on your hands.

(1) Start out hot and keep it hot.  Don’t let your wok cool down.

(2) Work fast and keep stirring.

(3) Make one or two portions at a time. It only takes a few minutes per portion, so try to do it individually if you can. The flavors in this dish come largely from how it’s cooked: fast,  with high heat.  Adding too much at once lets the heat escape. And then things get steamy and soggy and that is not a good thing. Some recipes out there suggest you do 4 portions at once!  That is just setting you up to fail.

(4) Make the sauce ahead of time.  When you’re working fast, you do not want to waste time measuring anything.

(5) Prepare all the ingredients and have them ready and close by, before beginning. Add them in sequence, and let the wok heat back up after each addition. Never throw them all in at once.

If you follow these methods, I guarantee you’re going to make the best Pad Thai you have ever eaten.

Here’s a list of what you’ll need.  You can get most of this at your local grocery store, but a trip to an Asian market may be necessary. Hey, that’s part of the fun!

Thin rice noodles (also called Rice Sticks or Banh Pho)

Soak them. But don’t soak them until the noodles are soft enough to eat, or they will turn into a mushy mess in the wok. Just soak them until they are like very al dente pasta, then drain well. You’ll need about 2 loosely packed cups per portion. A 500g (or about a 16oz) bag of dried noodles should be enough for 6-8 portions. They’re  cheap, and if left unsoaked, they will last forever.

Shrimp, or Chicken

The more traditional version of Pad Thai uses shrimp. I use about 5-6 shrimp per portion, raw and peeled. But, you can be as generous as you’d like.  Or, you can use chicken, 2oz (about 1/2 a breast) per portion, cut into bite-size pieces.

Tofu

You can use just about any firm-textured tofu you can find. I use the pressed tofu that comes in square blocks.  Cut the tofu into thin, bite-size pieces, and use a small handful for each portion.  For vegetarian Pad Thai, with only tofu, you’ll want to use a little more.

Eggs

Crack one egg into the wok per serving.

Ground Peanuts

Use roasted and unsalted peanuts. Chop them up really good, but not too much because you don’t want powder. Use 1-2 tablespoons per portion, depending on how much you like peanuts.

Flat-leaf Garlic Chives, also called Chinese Chives

Garlic Chive is the more traditional herb for Pad Thai, but you can also use the green part of a scallion.  Cut them into 2 inches pieces, and use a handful of them per portion.

Bean sprouts

Use about a cup per portion. You can use as much or little as you like.

Dried shrimp (optional)

These tiny salty dried shrimp add extra flavor, but you can easily skip it altogether. If you decide to use this, grind it up using a stone mortar and pestle, or a cuisinart, until fluffy.  You can also chop it up very finely using a kitchen knife, but you have to be sure to chop up all of the hard bits. This can be tricky. I use about 1-2 tablespoons per portion.

Chopped garlic

I use about a teaspoon per serving.

Fresh lime

A couple of squeezes per serving. And then extra wedges to serve with the meal.

OK, so let’s get started.

Pad Thai

Adapted from Chez Pim

First, I prepare all of the above ingredients and have them ready in separate bowls.

Next, I make my sauce.  There are four ingredients in the Pad Thai sauce, Tamarind pulp (for the sour flavor), Fish Sauce (for the salty part), Palm Sugar, (for some sweetness), and Thai chilli powder (for the spice). Two cups of sauce will make about 6-8 portions of Pad Thai.  If you’re only making a portion or two, the sauce keeps very well tightly covered, in the fridge.

*See Note below about Tamarind pulp and Palm Sugar.*

You should begin with ½ cup each of Tamarind, Fish Sauce, and Palm Sugar.  Put them all in a small saucepan, and heat over a low flame.  Add the chilli powder. Begin with a teaspoon, and add more if you like, depending on your taste. Let this happily simmer for a minute or two, and then turn off the heat. Here is the beauty of preparing the sauce ahead of time:  You can take your time to taste and adjust the sauce precisely to your liking, which would be hard to do in the wok.

My recipe is for making one portion. Adjust accordingly if you’re going to make two portions at once. But, remember, no more than that!

Now it’s time to get your wok smoking hot.  Heat it up over a high flame until very hot, just to the point of smoking.

Add a few splashes of oil, about 3 tablespoons.

If you are making Chicken Pad Thai, add the chicken first, and cook, stirring vigorously, until it’s half way done, about 1-2 minutes, then add the tofu, a tablespoon or two of the sauce to flavor the chicken, and the chopped garlic.

Remember:  Work fast, and keep stirring!

If you are making Tofu Pad Thai, or Shrimp (and tofu) Pad Thai, then only add the tofu (and garlic) for now. Cook for another minute until the tofu is crisp and slightly brown at the edges.

Add the noodles, about 2 loosely packed cups for one portion, and then a ladle (about ¼ cup) of warm sauce. Stir rigorously, keeping everything moving in the wok, and cook the noodles until soft. Remember to break up the noodles and don’t let them lump together. If the sauce evaporates too quickly and your noodles aren’t ready, sprinkle in a bit of water and keep stirring.  You can also add a bit of oil, too if necessary.

When the noodles are done (taste them to be sure), push them up to one side of the wok and crack an egg into the middle. Let it set for 10-15 seconds and toss everything together.

Add the shrimp (if using), ground peanuts, ground dried shrimp, bean sprouts. Keep things moving. Add more sauce if it looks a little pale.

When shrimp is done, (that shouldn’t take more than a minute), add a handful of Garlic Chives. Turn the heat off, and quickly give the wok a good stirring to mix everything together.

Give it a big squeeze of lime and some more peanuts, if you’d like. Toss again.

Add the finished Pad Thai to a plate.  Serve with extra peanuts and fresh lime on the table, maybe some extra chili powder.

Give the wok a quick rinse with warm water, wipe off any excess bits of food with a towel, then put the wok back onto the fire.  As soon as it heats back up to a smoking point, you’re ready for your next portion!

It’s simple, and so exciting to make!   The first time I made it was just for rosebud and myself.  I love love loved it.

It was fresh and flavorful.  Everything came together so deliciously. It was pretty close to perfect and I immediately wished I would have had the confidence to invite a friend over for this.

It was something new to rosebud, so she was hesitant at first, but then she seemed to really like it, being the noodle-lover that she is.

Once you’ve made this a few times and you’re comfortable with it, making it will become like second nature.

I’ve made it 4 times now and it keeps getting better. I believe it’s because I’m winging it more and more. The last time I made it, I didn’t even use the recipe.

Now that’s the kind of cook I want to become.

*Note*:  Tamarind can be found in various forms — concentrated pulp with seeds, a canned paste, whole dried pods, or powdered — and is available in Indian and some other Asian markets, and available in syrup form in a broader selection of markets. There is a wide variety of tamarind products available online.

OK,  so for those of us who are linguistically-challenged when it comes to Thai food, I’m pretty sure this is how it breaks down:

You and I are probably friends (who else would be reading my blog?) so you probably  already know that I [...]]]> Pad Krapow Moo With Thai Holy Basil

OK,  so for those of us who are linguistically-challenged when it comes to Thai food, I’m pretty sure this is how it breaks down:

You and I are probably friends (who else would be reading my blog?) so you probably  already know that I have some Italian in my blood.  This means, I can cook Italian.

I grew up making “little ears” with my grandmother. And if you don’t know what I mean by little ears, well, you aren’t Italian.  So, nevermind.

I love Thai food. I love the liberal use of fresh herbs, like cilantro, lemon grass and Thai basil.  And I mostly love how everything seems to have a kick to it.  Although FYI, if a Thai dish is specified as spicy on a menu, take their word for it.  I recently asked for mine extra spicy.  Holy Inferno!

I also love all the other crazy combinations of flavors that are now making me drool just thinking about them….

Peanuts. Lime. Garlic. Chilis. Scallions. Fish sauce.

Don’t let that last one scare you.  Fish sauce may not sound appealing (and it sure doesn’t smell all that tempting either)  but, it’s just one of those special somethings that turns an ordinary dish, amazing. It’s lite, and salty, like soy sauce, and surprisingly not fishy. You can buy this at your local grocery store in the ethnic section.

OK, so we all love Thai food.  But, when it comes to cooking it, well, that’s a challenge. Intimidating, even.

As I’ve mentioned in the About Me part of this blog, my goal is to be a better all-around cook, meaning not only Italian food. I want to be able to whip out a fabulous Pad Thai, a mouth-watering quesadilla, a roast chicken so good that Julia herself would be proud.

And of course, have fun doing it.

So, in the spirit of culinary adventure, I’m tip-toeing into the world of Thai cooking.

Friends, I’m here to tell you that most Thai dishes are quick and easy to make, once you learn a few things about the (intimidating) ingredients and cooking methods.  The beauty of Thai food seems to be in it’s simplicity. Who knew?

I’ve had Thai Basil Chicken on my mind for weeks now, ever since I opened my most recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated. This is one of my favorite Thai dishes. For one, I love basil (must be the Italian thing), and so there it was, staring me in the face.

Was I actually going to attempt to make Thai food?  Exciting!  But, scary.

I decided to go for it.  I was going to make it for myself and my darling rosebud on a Thursday night, and nobody else had to know about it!

I imagined that this was going to require numerous trips to exotic locations just to find the right ingredients for this dish. But, I found everything I needed at my local Fresh Market.

It turned out pretty good, for my virgin attempt at Thai cooking.  I really liked it, and rosebud even said ,“it’s not bad” (which is actually a compliment coming from her,and also, she ate something green!)  But still, I felt that it could be better. It wasn’t something I was excited about making again for friends.

I did some research, found some recipes online, and made this dish a few more times, a few different ways, using a few different combinations of ingredients.  And at this point, I’m sorry to say, I am pretty Thai Basil Chickened Out.

I’m still going to work on perfecting this beloved dish, and when I get it right, it will be making a smashing appearance on my blog.  Just not yet.

But, along the way, I stumbled upon a recipe for something called Pad Krapow Moo. Or, Stir-fried pork with Thai holy basil.

I happen to think pork is one of the tastiest things on the planet.

Although (and I hate to admit this), I’m not much of a pork eater.  Only because my intention of “eating healthy” interferes with, what I really want to be eating.

But, for god’s sake, isn’t pork supposed to be “the other white meat”?

Just between you and me, I really  do want to eat more pork.  Lots more.  I want to eat ham and bacon and oh-so-tasty pork chops. I want to eat pork roast and pulled pork sandwiches and meat-falling-off-the-bone-bbq-pork-ribs.  Moan.

I mean, come on.  What true carnivore can live without bacon?

So, after living without much pork for far too many years, I’ve decided to enjoy all of the above in moderation.

And here’s the good news.  You can actually enjoy pork with a healthy conscience.

I’ve recently learned that pork can be as lean as skinless chicken breast.  Even leaner.  Who knew?

Hallelujah.

So, for us carnivores, let’s celebrate “the other white meat” with a delicious Pad Krapow Moo!

If you’re wondering what Krapow basil is, so was I.  It’s a type of Thai basil that is spicy with a hint of mint.  The Krapow I found had green and purple leaves. You can make this with sweet basil (the basil we know and love) but Krapow basil is well worth searching for.

A few weeks ago, my lovely and talented assistant, Casandra, told me about the most amazing Asian market in uptown, called Viet Hoa Plaza,1051 W. Argyle, Chicago. Last Friday I had a day off work and rosebud was in school,  so I took a trip down there.

Wow. I just fell in love with this place!

I spent 1½ hours there. I was amazed by the rows and rows of dried mushrooms, dried noodles, pickled jars of anyone’s guess veggies, spices for a $1, sauces, tofu, fresh produce and shrimp with eyes.  Awesome!

I was pleasantly surprised to find Goji berries here.  My favorite celebrity doctor, Dr. Oz, says that they are an anti aging wonder.  HELLO.  I bought a very large bag of them for $3. I happily purchased everything I needed for my Pad Krapow Moo. I also bought my first wok for $12!

(I did not purchase the ground pork here. I picked that up on my way home at the Evanston Whole Foods.)

So on this Friday night, I decided I was finally going to do it.  I invited my friend Chris over for dinner, grabbed my wok and started cooking.

Upon arrival, I immediately handed Chris a glass of white wine, thinking it might be a good idea to soften the edges.

Chris seemed to be very impressed with my sizzling wok of pork, the way I quickly tossed and doused and made everything fly and fry. It couldn’t be easier, or more fun.

Then, it was ready.

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

This turned out so incredibly delicous, it’s hard to describe.   Sweet, salty and spicy at the same time.  YUM.  The pork was so delicious combined with the saltiness of the fish sauce and the spiciness of the chilies.  The Krapow basil is definitely the star of this dish, perfect with pork.  And the purple leaves make the dish look beautiful.

Chris and I blissfully devoured our dinner without coming up for air. True to form, rosebud, my harshest critic, said it was “OK” and then proceeded to eat her entire plate and ask for more.

Ah, that just makes me happy.

Pad Krapow Moo (Stir-Fried Pork with Thai Holy basil

Adapted from Chez Pim

Ground Pork, 1 pound

Garlic, 6 cloves, chopped

Red Thai Chilies, 3 chopped

Fish sauce, 2 tbsp plus more to taste

Dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp

Vegetable oil, 1 tbsp

Krapow  (Thai Holy Basil), 1 big bunch

Red Bell Pepper, 1 pepper cut into thin strips

Scallions,  1/3 cup chopped

The measurements are only approximate. You don’t have to be exact, just eye-ball it. I’m learning that’s sort of how it’s done. Trust me, go with it and it will be delicious.

Grab your wok, put it over a high flame until it’s smoking.

Add the vegetable oil. Throw in the garlic and red chilies.  Keep stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn, and cook until the garlic is fragrant (about a minute). Don’t let it get brown and crunchy!

Add the ground pork.  Keep stirring.

Add couple of tablespoons of fish sauce.  Add a tablespoon of dark soy sauce.

Add the bell pepper strips and scallions.  Give it a few more stirs.

When the meat is cooked through, take a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.  It may need another splash of fish sauce. If it’s not spicy enough, add more chili. Grind it up with a knife and throw it in, seeds and all.

Turn off the heat and add a very big handful of Thai Holy Basil.  Toss and serve over steamed rice.

I know you’re going to love it.

If you really want to be authentic, fry an egg and toss it on top of everything. Next time I’m going to try that!

But, it’s January and it’s cold! (in Chicago, anyway).

I mean really cold.

What could be better than a big bowl of yummy goodness that warms the heart, soul and belly?

Friends, I give you….

White Chicken Chili!

The first time I tasted this delicious white chili (we’re calling it “white” because of the white [...]]]>

White Chicken Chili

But, it’s January and it’s cold! (in Chicago, anyway).

I mean really cold.

What could be better than a big bowl of yummy goodness that warms the heart, soul and belly?

Friends, I give you….

White Chicken Chili!

The first time I tasted this delicious white chili (we’re calling it “white” because of the white northern beans) was the day after my Dad passed away in March ‘05. My best friend and her Mom brought a big pot of it over to the house for us.  As you can imagine, I was out of sorts at the time, but I was also comforted by the thought, the effort, and the food itself.  And damn, it was good!  Low-key, soothing, and restorative. They served it piping hot, topped with chards of creamy monterey jack cheese. It was absolutely comforting and familiar.

I decided to make it today for my Mom and her husband Rich, who are in from Miami for the holidays, to warm them up a bit.

The great thing about this meal is that it’s SO EASY. And if you have a nicely stocked pantry, it’s even easier. I happen to always have on hand cans of white beans, chicken stock, frozen chicken breasts, onions, garlic, and all the spices. All I needed to pick up was the cheese and a fresh, crusty baguette for mopping up our bowls. We Italians use bread as a utensil.

I always discard the end that sticks out of the bag!

This is how easy it is:  Throw everything in the pot and wait.

OK, you do have to cook the chicken breasts first. Other than that, it’s a meal that makes itself. (But, don’t tell your guests that!)

After about 2 hours of simmering, my house smelled heavenly.  It was time to toast the bread so we could eat!  I cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and then took a garlic clove which I also halved and rubbed all over the bread.

Rubbin' on the garlic

Next, I drizzled olive oil (lightly) over both pieces, and popped them in the broiler. They are ready in seconds, so don’t leave them alone. I’ve burned many a baguette by small distractions.

We sat down to deep, wide bowlfuls of chili goodness. Talking between big slurpy mouthfuls, we scraped our bowls clean. We couldn’t get enough of it. (I added some extra cayenne to mine because I always like that extra kick!).

I’m not sure if they’ll be making it themselves any time soon considering the 90 degree heat down there, but after coping with our single digit chill for a week, they were most thankful for it today.

This is something that I will make forever.  It truly does comfort the heart and soul, whatever that means for you.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped  (I prefer large white onions)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cooked, boneless chicken breasts, shredded
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 (4 oz) cans green chili peppers, chopped
2 teasp ground cumin
2 teasp oregano
1 ½ teasp cayenne pepper
5 (14.5 oz) cans white northern beans, undrained
1 cup Montery Jack cheese, shredded.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat oil in a large pot, medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until fragrant and translucent (about 10 minutes). Add chicken, broth, green chilis, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil.

White Chicken Chili Simmering

Reduce heat to low, add beans (undrained). Simmer at least 1 hour, preferably up to 3 or more to let the flavors really blend.  Add to individual bowls and top with cheese. Serve with garlic bread.

Enjoy!