RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Pad Thai

Peanuts work well in sweet desserts and are commonly found as peanut butter swirled with jelly atop bread for lunchtime sandwiches. However, they can also be an ingredient in savory dishes. Peanuts are often included in the popular Thai dish Pad Thai, Thailand's variation on a traditional Chinese stir-fry. It's salty, sweet, and often spicy. Try this version courtesy of 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes (Robert Rose) by Nancie McDermott.

INGREDIENTS:

4 ounces dry rice noodles

1/4 cup chicken stock or water

3 Tablespoons fish sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

4 oz. boneless pork (i.e. loin/tenderloin) or skinless chicken breast/thighs, thinly sliced

8 to 10 medium shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup chopped garlic chives or green onions

2 cups bean sprouts, divided

1/3 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts

3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

4 lime wedges

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add noodles and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are softened but firm. Drain and rinse well in cold water. Drain and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix chicken stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and hot pepper flakes and stir well. Set aside.

3. Heat a wok or a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat pan. Add garlic and toss well, until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

4. Add pork, spreading into a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until edges change color, about 1 minute. Toss well. Add shrimp and toss well. Cook, tossing often, until shrimp are pink and firm and pork is cooked through 1 to 2 minutes. Add noodles and cook, tossing often and pulling to separate noodles, for 1 minute.

5. Add the chicken stock mixture, pouring it around the sides of the pan. Cook, tossing often, turning, and scraping the noodles to heat and soften them until the noodles curl up and are tender and the shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of chicken stock or water as needed to keep the noodles from sticking or burning.

6. Push the noodles to one side and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the egg and swirl to expose it to the hot pan. Cook, undisturbed, until the edges have begun to set, about 15 seconds. Cook, stirring often, until the egg is softly scrambled but still very moist, about 1 minute.

7. Add garlic, chives, and 1 cup of the bean sprouts and cook, tossing often, until they have begun to wilt, about 1 minute more. Add peanuts and lime juice and toss well. Transfer to a serving platter. Place the remaining bean sprouts and lime wedges on one side. Serve hot or warm, mixing in the raw bean sprouts and squeezing a little lime juice over the noodles just before eating.