Pad Thai my way...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOVE thai food and had a major craving for some last night. So I skipped bikram yoga, and decided to stay in and cook a nice experimental dinner for me and my hubby.

Normally I am not a fan of pad thai at Thai restaurants (pad kee mao for me...drunken noodles), however, I figured I would try making my own version in the hopes of enjoying this popular Thai dish. Plus my dad gave me a few pounds of the biggest prawns I have ever seen and I needed to clean and use them soon.

One of the things I enjoy about cooking is that you can make a recipe your own by adding and deleting ingredients to please your tastes. Or, you can be that annoying restaurant customer who adds and deletes on a dish that a chef has made a certain way. Let's not be THAT girl/guy.

Please note that this is not an authentic version, but a tweaked one because of the ingredients I had on hand, and I was going for something particular that suited my craving.This recipe is simple, flavorful, and just plain yum!

Serves 4.

12-16 large prawns/shrimp
2 eggs
3 tbs. soy sauce
1-1/2 tbs. creamy peanut butter
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbs. water
2 tbs. chili paste or sriracha (I used sambal oelek, check your fridge/pantry, I'm sure you have it)
*use more or less depending on your spice level*
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs. rice vinegar
3 green onion, sliced, white parts set aside
Bean sprouts, handful
3-5 leaves basil
1 pkg medium rice noodles
2 tbs. canola/vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
lime wedges

For peanut sauce, whisk together peanut butter, 2 tbs. soy sauce, chili paste, water, and lime juice in a bowl 'til creamy and set aside.

Place noodles in hot water for 8-10 min. They will soften up and be ready to cook up in the sauce.

Whisk eggs with 1 tbs. soy sauce and scramble on medium heat. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok and toss in garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onion. Sauté til fragrant. Be careful, there may be spattering.

Add shrimp and bean sprouts; sauté until shrimp turn opaque.

Drain noodles, add to wok and toss with shrimp. Add peanut butter sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar. *At this point you can add salt and pepper to taste*. Stir fry and toss noodles. Add scrambled eggs and basil and stir fry for an additional minute or so until basil wilts.

Serve with a sprinkle of green onion and a lime wedge.

Enjoy!!