Delicious Pad Thai

Prawn Pad Thai. Yum!

We did it! Delicious meal number one, and it was truly scrumptious.
Such a quick easy dinner to make, and so full of flavour. I love to taste my food as I cook, mainly to make sure that its going to taste great, but also because I get too excited about eating it to wait until its all finished and yesterday I did a lot of tasting!

Last night, as Joe was pottering around laying the table, organising drinks etc, I tasted it and WOW, I dont think that I have ever plated a meal up so quickly. The prawns were juicy, the noodles just the right amount of spicy, and it instantly transported me back to Thailand where we had spent 2 weeks in March. I could see the sunset over the beach, and the palm trees swaying in the breeze as I closed my eyes. Divine.

A must try for anyone who loves a bit of a kick, with fresh, clean flavours.

"Pad Thai is perfect for a meal on the run - take some dried noodles, a couple of eggs, chicken or prawns, some fresh herbs and you're in business. Of all the recipes I have tried, this version of the Thai classic, which is loosely based on one by Rick Stein, is my favourite - neither too sweet nor too sloppy. Like all stir-fries, you need to prepare all the ingredients ready for cooking before you start." Annabel Langbein.

Prep 15 mins
Cook 8 - 10 mins
Serves 2

500g fresh rice noodles
3tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup thai sweet chilli sauce                                                   
2tsp peanut butter
3tbsp sunflower oil
3 cloves garlic
2 red chillies
10-12 large prawns
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 spring onions
100g bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 lime

• Combine fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce & peanut butter. Set aside.
• Heat oil and stir-fry garlic, chillies and prawns over high heat for 2 - 4 minutes until cooked.
• Add beaten eggs and stir-fry until scrambled and just set.
• Add fresh rice noodles to the pan and lower heat.
• Add sauce mixture and toss for 1 - 2 minutes over high heat to fully coat.
• Mix in most of the spring onions, beansprouts, coriander & peanuts (reserve some of each for a garnish). Toss over heat for a minute to combine.
• Serve in bowls, topped with garnishes. Squeeze over lime juice.

When I made this meal, I added chopped green beans at the second stage, which worked fantastically and added another element to the meal.

Annabel Langbein is one of my favourite food writers, her meals are always nutritious and delicious and she writes about such a variery of flavours. I would recommend her recipe books to everyone, my favourites are Cooking to Impress Without Stress and Savour the Pacific.
Fancy a look at her website?