The "Secret"

I was fixing lunch while I was talking on the phone with my friend Cathy.  She is my dear friend from Melbourne, FL who I sorely miss.  She was preparing spaghetti for lunch while I was making Pad Thai.

"You are making  Pad Thai?" she asked suddenly.  "I haven't made that dish and it's too bad since it's Danny's (her hubs) favorite", she added.

"Oh this is my foolproof easy Pad Thai recipe.  And I will share with you my secret.",  I told her.

The funny thing is that it was in Melbourne, FL where I had started my own cooking Pad-Thai madness.   I used to shop at an Asian store whose owner is Thai.  I mentioned to him that my family loves to go to a local Thai Restaurant and how much we love Pad-Thai.

"Ahh, Pad-Thai..." he mumbled.  He then said he will tell me the secret ingredient and that I can make it whenever I want to.  He came back with the "secret" in his hand... ta-dah!

Yes, this golden sauce bottle is all I needed to discover that I could whip up Pad-Thai in 10 minutes. Just saute the desired topping or meat (i.e. chicken, shrimp, or beef) and add the sauce. Pour it over Thai noodles and you can now create your own Pad-Thai at home.

I used to make this for my parties, for a lot of dinners, special occasions, you name it and my Pad-Thai dish was sure to show up. And I am not exaggerating, I was that obsessed in serving this noodle dish. In fact my son recently told me that up to now, he no longer eats Pad-Thai because of the crazy cooking madness I was hooked on years ago.

While I was in San Diego, I couldn't find this "secret" ingredient.  So my Pad-Thai madness was no more.  And so it was quite a surprise when I saw this bottle on the shelf of an Asian store here in St. Louis.  Now we're reunited, and you bet, I'm back on another Pad-Thai cooking frenzy.

Another important thing to remember in making good Pad-Thai is to properly prepare the noodles.  Although I don't have a specific brand to recommend,  I make sure that it's flat rice noodles made in Thailand. (It's usually in a plastic bag with green Thai inscribed letters) Simply soak the noodles until it becomes pliable but still firm, usually for about 15-20 minutes.  Make sure not to over soak it. You don't want to have mushy noodles.  Once soft, drain the water and you're ready to toss it together with the sauce.

It is very simple to prepare.  Just saute with garlic and onions and shrimp, add green onions, bean sprouts and tofu. Add the sauce and toss in your pre soaked noodles.  Cook it for a few minutes and add a drop of oil to get that shimmering look and you have magically transported yourself to Thailand...  Enjoy!

P.S.  Now if only I can find a good Pad See Ew recipe which I can prepare for my son when he visits.  Any suggestions from my readers?  Thanks.