Pad thai is a lovely and simple meal to make and is also an easy way to transform leftover chicken. You can actually make it using chicken or prawns.
After Christmas dinner with my girls, I had some leftover chicken which I couldn't imagine eating again so I decided to make the pad thai instead. A lot of people get put off when it comes to making eastern cuisine but if I'm honest, its one of the easiest meals to make.
Its a fun dish for kids too because which kid doesn't love noodles. If you have a few casual guests, this is also a quick, tasty and simple dish to make.
Serves 2
300 grams rice sticks
200 grams leftover chicken or 1 boneless chicken breast, cut into small strips
2 large spring onion, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
100grams bean sprouts
3 heads of garlic, chopped
2 large green chillies, chopped (optional)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 tablespoon sugar
A handful of crushed cooked peanuts
We start with softening the rice sticks. Place them in a bowl covered with warm water and set aside for 10 minutes or so.
Heat the sesame oil in a wok on medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Once translucent, add your shredded chicken and cook for about 2 minutes. Next, you add the rice noodles, fish sauce, sugar and tamarind paste and stir through. Add a little water for moisture and to avoid the noodles sticking to the wok.
Tip: To check the doneness of the noodles, press a noodle down with your spatula and if it is sticky, let it cook a little more. A cooked noodle should split when under pressure.
Push the noodles to the side and on the other side of the wok, crack the eggs and scramble on the side. Once they are soft and cooked through, mix together with the rest of the food in the wok. Lastly, add your spring onion, chili, crushed peanuts and bean sprouts. Stir through for about a minute and serve with a side of pak choi.