Pad Thai

Probably not authentic, but easy and delicious nonetheless.

Sauce:

• Juice from 1-2 limes
• 2 Tblsp. soy sauce
• 1-2 Tblsp. fish sauce (I use 1 1/2 Tblsp.)
• 1 Tblsp. dried shrimp, finely chopped
• 2 Tblsp. brown/palm sugar

Rest of the ingredients:

• 1 Tblsp. cooking oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Thai chili, finely chopped
• 1-2 chicken breasts, sliced thin
• 1/2 package (200 g) 5mm-wide rice noodles
• 1 cup soy bean sprouts
• 2 green onions, chopped into rings
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup peanuts (preferably unsalted), chopped

Put noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Break apart the noodles a bit with a pasta spoon to keep them from sticking together. Let noodles sit in hot water until they are soft (about 10-15 minutes, which should be about enough time to slice/chop/prepare the other ingredients). Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a small cup or bowl. Heat oil in a wok or deep pot over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, crush garlic into it and add chopped chili. Immediately add chicken breast and fry until cooked through. Drain noodles and add them to chicken, stir briefly, and then add the sauce ingredients. Cook sauce until sugar is dissolved and the sauce begins to stick to the noodles. Add green onions and bean sprouts and stir to mix. Lower heat to medium. Then, push the noodle mixture to the side, and break an egg into the free space. Scramble egg, cook until semi-solid, and cut into strips with a spatula. When the egg is cooked through, stir it into the noodle mixture. Finally, stir in the chopped peanuts.

Makes two large servings.

Variations:

• to add shrimp to the basic recipe, omit one chicken breast. If shrimp is cooked, add to noodle mixture with bean sprouts and green onions. If shrimp is uncooked, I would probably fry it with the chicken (but I've never done this).
• if noodles are too spicy, omit the chili.
• if noodles aren't spicy enough, either add more chilis at the beginning or top finished noodles with ground dried red chilis.
• For more color and/or vegetables, add tomato slices to finished noodles and/or add sliced/shredded carrots or leeks to frying chicken when it is not quite cooked through. Alternatively, top with a few sprouts or sprinkle on some chopped peanuts.