Shrimp Pad Thai

Bored of regular old pasta? Then definitely give this meal a try.
A delicious meal in the Davis household is my moms Shrimp Pad Thai. She is very interested in trying different recipes from her cook book “Asian Noodles” and this one was a definite keeper. This allows us to eat at home and eat healthier when we are craving something different. Whenever I come home from school I ask for her to make it. However, it becomes a challenge in the winter as I only eat fresh shrimp, and it is quite difficult to come by in Connecticut. Luckily, we have pounds of seafood shipped from North Carolina for this meal and others like it. This meal helps remind me of the warm days filled of fresh seafood I miss dearly.
If you are a seafood snob like me and can’t get fresh fish, chicken is also a great alternative. Pad Thai contains fried egg, fish sauce, garlic, dried chili pepper, shallots, sugar, vegetable oil, chopped peanuts, and cilantro. My favorite part of this meal is the bean sprouts. They add an extra crunch to the meal that stands out with the texture of the shrimp and Thai rice noodles. When serving this meal, make sure to cut up slices of lime to squeeze on top. Each serving, I usually add at least 2 slices of lime. This recipe is easy and fast to make. Everything can be prepped together, and cooked at the same time. The shrimp should be added in last, to make sure they do not become overcooked. After this, sit down and enjoy your Shrimp Pad Thai. For more delicious Asian Noodle recipes make sure to check out the recipe book by Nina Simonds, Asian Noodles: Deliciously Simple Dishes To Twirl, Slurp, And Savor.
• 8 oz. Thai rice noodles (or enough for 2 people), linguini-width, available at Asian/Chinese stores
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups raw chicken breast or thigh meat, sliced
• Marinade for Chicken: 1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• optional: 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced
• 3 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 3 spring (green) onions, sliced
• approx. 1 cup fresh coriander/cilantro
• 1/3 cup crushed or roughly chopped peanuts (or other nuts, such as cashews)
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
• PAD THAI SAUCE:
• 3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water (look for tamarind at Asian/Chinese or Indian food stores)
• 2+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1-3 tsp. chili sauce
http://thaifood.about.com/od/quickeasythairecipes/r/onepagechickpad.htm