Shrimp Pad Thai

I think my favorite style and flavors (aside from dessert, of course) would have to be Asian. Here's a simple Asian dish that's easy to put together (perfect for a weeknight meal), rather healthy, and very flavorful... delicious, in fact.

Shrimp Pad Thai
4 ounces dried pad Thai noodles (flat rice noodles)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
4 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 minced shallot
1 teaspoon dried lemongrass
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 large eggs
2 ounces cooked shrimp
2/3 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons mung bean sprouts

lime wedges

Place the noodles in a medium bowl and cover with hot water; soak until softened, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, tamarind, fish sauce and vinegar and mix well to form a thick sauce. If you can't find the tamarind at your local market, sometimes you can find a Pad Thai mix in a pouch. Check the Asian aisle in your local market. In another small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, shallots and lemongrass.

In a wok or skillet, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the eggs and scramble them until just set and cooked through, but not browned. Add the shrimp, ginger mixture and noodles and mix until warmed through. Stir in the tamarind sauce and cook, stirring, until noodles are evenly coated (about 1 minute). Stir in the scallions.

Transfer the pad Thai to bowls. Garnish each bowl with peanuts, bean sprouts and a lime wedge.

Enjoy!

recipe slightly adapted from foodandwine.com