Pad Thai

September 9, 2003

I spent a few years working as corporate relations manager for a large newspaper publishing company and my job involved a number of publishing projects - annual reports, house magazines and so on. One day the boss as me to act as publishing manager for a number of other publications. These included cookbooks written by one of New Zealand's great culinary icons, Alison Holst.

Having written a cookbook myself, I know there is a lot of behind the scenes work that takes such a publication from the planning stages through to the finished item on the shelf at the bookshop.

It was an assignment I enjoyed immensely, particularly the days when Alison and her fellow food stylists would prepare the recipes for the camera. These would be run with military precision so that the optimum number of dishes could be shot each day.

Alison has written dozens of cookbooks and newspaper columns over the years and in latter times her son Simon has joined her on the production line.

Last week I happened to be editing one of their columns for the newspaper I work for. It took my fancy so I had to make a copy of it and try it out myself that night - and send the recipe on to the sons as something they would enjoy making.

The dish is Pad Thai, a Thai noodle dish. It is simple to make, particularly if you already have the basic ingredients in your store cupboard and freezer.

I love Thai food. It usually has a balance of sweet, sour, salty and hot, contributed in this case by sugar, lemon or lime juice, fish sauce and chilli. Fish sauce is readily available at the Asian food section of most supermarkets. Don't be put off by the smell - it dissipates during cooking. Remember fish sauce is salty so you probably won't want to add any other salt. It will keep indefinitely in your store cupboard. I buy chilli paste by the jar and keep it in the refrigerator.

Assemble all the ingredients before you start cooking. One the burner is turned on the process will take very little time so you need to have everything ready. The noodles can be softened ahead, too.

Alison and Simon Holst's Pad Thai

For 2-3 large servings:
150-200g rice noodles
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled and chopped
about 200g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced red chilli/chilli paste
200g cooked shrimp, thawed and drained if frozen
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 spring onions, sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice (or wine) vinegar
1 tablespoon lime (or lemon) juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1-2 cups bean sprouts
chopped fresh coriander and roasted peanuts to garnish

Place the rice noodles in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 5-10 minutes or until soft and flexible, then drain well. (Check after five minutes as different brands seem to soften at different speeds and some get too soft if soaked for too long.)

Heat about 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large wok or frypan, then add the beaten egg and cook to form a thin omelet. As soon as the upper surface looks dry, roll or fold the omelet and remove it from the pan. Cut it into 1cm ribbons and set aside.

Add the rest of the first measure of oil to the pan, then add the garlic, cook over a high heat until it begins to brown, then add the chicken and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until chicken has lost its pink colour and is beginning to brown.

Stir in the chilli and shrimp and stir-fry for a minute longer, then add the noodles, second measure of oil and the spring onion greens. Toss to combine then add the fish sauce, vinegar, lime (or lemon) juice and sugar.

Stir-fry until the liquid has almost disappeared, then add the bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute longer.

Serve immediately garnished with chopped coriander and peanuts.

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