Cooking Light Magazine Pad Thai

Straight from CooksIllustrated.com

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons tamarind paste
• 3⁄4 cup water (boiling)
• 3  tablespoons fish sauce
• 1  tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3  tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4  tablespoons  peanut oil or 4  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 8  ounces  dried rice noodles, about 1/8 inch wide (the width of linguine)
• 2  large eggs
• 1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
• 12  ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, if desired (31/35 count)
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  medium shallot, minced
• 2  tablespoons  dried shrimp, chopped fine (optional)
• 2  tablespoons  thai salted preserved radish (optional)
• 6  tablespoons unsalted dry roasted peanuts, Chopped
• 3  cups bean sprouts (6 ounces)
• 5  medium scallions, green parts only, sliced thin on sharp bias
• 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
•  lime wedge

Directions

1. Soak tamarind paste in 3/4 cup boiling water for about 10 minutes, then push it through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and fibers and extract as much pulp as possible. Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons oil into tamarind liquid and set aside.
2. Cover rice sticks with hot tap water in large bowl; soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles and set aside. Beat eggs and 1/8 teaspoon salt in small bowl; set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over high heat until just beginning to smoke, about 2 minutes. Add shrimp and sprinkle with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and browned about the edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to plate and set aside.
4. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and swirl to coat; add garlic and shallot, set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes; add eggs to skillet and stir vigorously with wooden spoon until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds. Add noodles, dried shrimp, and salted radish (if using) to eggs; toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine. Pour fish sauce mixture over noodles, increase heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are evenly coated. Scatter 1/4 cup peanuts, bean sprouts, all but 1/4 cup scallions, and cooked shrimp over noodles; continue to cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are tender, about 2 1/2 minutes (if not yet tender add 2 tablespoons water to skillet and continue to cook until tender).
5. Transfer noodles to serving platter, sprinkle with remaining scallions, 2 tablespoons peanuts, and cilantro; serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.