This tasty Pad Thai makes a delicious quick and easy meal for the family. Timing wise, the trick is to work out what needs the most cooking and put that into the wok first, finishing off with the ingredient that needs the least cooking.
Take advantage of some of the wonderful sauces like sweet chilli and rice wine vinegar to give it a great flavour. Traditionally, Pad Thai is served with chopped peanuts but you can leave them out. The good news is the washing up will be easy as everything gets cooked in the same pan.
Makes six portions
Ingredients
● 250g chicken breasts in strips
Marinade
● 1 tbsp each soy sauce and sake
● 1 ½ tsp sugar
● 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
● 175g medium rice noodles
● 2½ tbsp sunflower oil for frying
● 2 shallots, finely sliced or 1 onion
● Quarter tsp caster sugar
● 1 clove garlic, crushed
● Half red chilli, thinly sliced
● 1 leek, thinly sliced
● 100g broccoli, in small florets
● 295g beansprouts
● 2 eggs, lightly beaten with a little salt
● 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
● 2 tbsp soy sauce
● 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
● 75g honey roasted peanuts, finely chopped (optional)
Method
● Mix together the ingredients for the marinade and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
● Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and then rinse with cold water.
● Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Stir fry the shallots for about 3 to 4 minutes.
● Sprinkle with a generous pinch of caster sugar and stir fry for a further minute, then add the garlic and chilli and cook for one minute.
● Add the marinated chicken strips and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through.
● Remove from the wok and set aside.
● Heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil in the wok.
● Add the leek and stir fry for 3 minutes.
● Add the broccoli and the beansprouts (reserving a couple of handfuls of beansprouts) and stir fry for a further 4 minutes.
● Push all the ingredients to the side of the wok and add the beaten eggs.
● Cook for about 2 minutes moving the egg around with a wooden spoon until scrambled, then mix with the vegetables.
● Add the chicken, noodles, vinegar, soy sauce, and sweet chilli sauce. Cook until the noodles are warmed through.
● Serve in bowls with the reserved raw beansprouts and peanuts sprinkled over.
