Pork Pad Thai

Pork Pad Thai

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 x 200g packets of rice stick noodles


• Peanut or vegetable oil, for stir frying


• 1 x 300g pork fillet, very finely sliced


• 4 cloves garlic, crushed


• 2 eggs

• 1 tablespoon cornflour


• 1 tablespoon fish sauce


• 2 tablespoons water

• 4 tablespoons tamarind concentrate


• 4 tablespoons fish sauce


• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped


• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves


• 4 shallots (spring onions), white and pale green parts finely


• 1 cup bean sprouts


• 1 long red chilli, sliced (optional)


• Lime wedges

1. First, marinate the finely sliced pork. Combine the cornflour, fish sauce and water in a bowl. Toss through the finely sliced pork.
2. Place the rice stick noodles in a bowl and cover with freshly boiled water from the kettle. Soak until they are flexible but not too soggy. It is best to err on the side of undercooked, as water can be added if necessary during stir frying. Once the noodles are over-soaked it's too late! Drain the noodles and set aside.
3. Heat a wok over very high heat and add about a tablespoon of peanut oil. When the wok is smoking, put in about 1/4 of the pork. Toss for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden and just cooked. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining pork until all cooked.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients in a jug.
5. Reduce the heat of the wok and add a good couple of tablespoons of oil. Saute the garlic for 1 minute, then add the noodles. Pour in the sauce, then gently toss or stir to coat the noodles. Add water if they are too dry or undercooked. Add the pork into the wok. Push the noodles to one side of the wok and crack the eggs into the space. Break the yolks and stir the eggs into the noodles.
6. Divide the noodle mixture into four bowls, and top each bowl with peanuts, coriander, shallots, bean sprouts and chilli (if using). Place a wedge of lime on each plate and serve immediately.

Cook's note 1 - to achieve very thin slices of pork fillet, freeze the fillet until it is hard but not frozen absolutely solid. Slice with a very sharp knife.

Cook's note 2 - You can do this with either raw or already roasted peanuts. Heat the wok and dry-toast the peanuts until they are golden brown and a few have the slightest bit of char on them.

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