Pad Thai with Crispy Coconut Pork

Here's my recipe (edited for formatting and missing ingredients), along with a photo album! http://ift.tt/1SpL9s0

Pad Thai w/ Crispy Coconut Pork (Note: This recipe is easily halved, and if you want a lighter version, don't do the pork and instead use shrimp. Just throw them into the skillet right after the sauce ingredients!)

Ingredients

The Pork: 1 can coconut milk, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar, 5 thinly sliced boneless pork chops, panko bread crumbs, cooking oil

The Pad Thai: 1/3 container extra firm tofu, 1 bunch of chives, 6 cloves of garlic, 2 shallots, 2 tablespoons pickled radish/pickled turnip, peperoncino to taste, 50 g peeled and chopped peanuts, 4 tablespoons tamarind paste, 8 teaspoons fish sauce, 4 tablespoons sugar, 1 package Thai rice noodles, 2 eggs, 1/2 bag of mung bean sprouts, 1 lime.

Prep

1. Combine the coconut milk, some salt, some freshly ground pepper, and the tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl. One by one nestle the pork chops into the marinade, making sure they're all covered. Set aside.

2. Prepare the tofu. Slice thin one way all along the length of the tofu, then the other way, producing matchbox-like pieces.

3. Slice the chives into 1-inch pieces.

4. Peel the garlic and shallot and throw into a food processor, along with the picked radish/turnip (can be found at any Asian specialty store) and the peperoncino. Pulse until minced.

5. In a dry skillet large enough for the recipe (mine plugs in, a large stovetop skillet/wok would also work) toast the peanuts and remove once fragrant. The peanuts are optional but highly recommended.

6. Place the tamarind paste in a microwave safe bowl along with 2 cups of water. Microwave on high 1 minute, then break up the paste with the back of a spoon and mix well. Microwave on high again for a minute and do the same. Then, pour through a sieve and into a nice big bowl. Use the back of a spoon to get all the flavor out and scrape off what comes out the other side of the sieve into the bowl.

7. In the bowl, add the 8 teaspoons of fish sauce and 4 tablespoons of sugar to the tamarind broth. Mix well and set aside.

8. Put the noodles into a large bowl and cover with HOT tap water, as hot as the tap goes. Let sit for 20 mins, then drain.

Cooking the Pork

1. Fill a shallow bowl with panko. Place this next to your skillet. Pour enough oil (vegetable, canola, peanut, something with a high smoke point) into the skillet and set to medium high. One by one, using a fork, remove each chop from the coconut milk marinade, letting the excess milk drip off for a second, then cover all over in panko bread crumbs, and then place into the hot skillet. After all have entered the pan, flip once the bottoms are golden, about 3-5 mins per side.

2. Once the pork chops are all cooked, lay on a plate lined with paper towel and let drain.

Pad Thai Assembly Line (Like any stirfry, Pad Thai is best when cooked over very high heat over a short period of time. Make sure all ingredients are nearby and prepped!)

1. Put the heat in the skillet as high as it goes. Add the garlic, shallot, radish/turnip, and peperoncino mixture, along with the tofu. Stir constantly until somewhat brown.

2. Add the noodles and give a quick toss.

3. Add the sauce mixture. Mix around until not enough liquid is left to puddle up in the pan.

4. Create a hot spot for the eggs by pushing aside the noodles.

5. Crack the 2 eggs into the hot spot and scramble alone. When they are almost cooked, fold them into the noodles.

6. Add a nice fresh grinding of black pepper. No salt needed, there's enough flavor in the other ingredients!

7. Throw in 2/3 of the chopped chives and 2/3 of the mung bean sprouts and stir in 2 or 3 times.

8. Pour the Pad Thai onto a large platter. Add another fresh grinding of black pepper, then top with the remaining chives and sprouts. Sprinkle to toasted peanuts on top. Slice up the chops into strips and rest atop the noodles. Garnish with a lime sliced into 6 pieces (don't forget to squeeze some lime juice on top once you've gotten a plate). This recipe serves 5 average-sized folks pretty well and can easily stuff the bellies of 4. Enjoy!

bon appetit