Pad Thai Success!

Okay, so technically it might not be Pad Thai since I used ground turkey breast instead of shrimp.  But darn if it wasn't tasty.  And so easy!  Really, it took me no time to whip up this exotic weeknight meal.  I used the flat rice noodles I found at Trader Joe's called "Rice Sticks," but really you could even get away with using vermicelli.  Here's what I did:

Saute approximately 1 lb ground turkey breast with 1 chopped and seeded red pepper, 1 Tbsp shredded ginger, salt and pepper to taste, a couple tsp fish sauce, and 2 cloves thinly sliced garlic. 

While the turkey is working, grab a saucepan and whisk together 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, 2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 or 2 tsp sriracha (or other Asian hotsauce).  Bring to a simmer while the turkey finishes cooking.  Combine turkey and sauce and set aside or keep warm on low heat.

Bring the noodles to a boil and drain them when they are al dente, or slightly firm in the very center.  Toss with a large container of mung bean sprouts before combining this mixture with your turkey and sauce.  I added just a touch more soy sauce at this point.  Toss to thoroughly combine before plating.

Top each serving with sliced green onions (use white and green parts), crushed peanuts, and a bit of chopped cilantro if you have it.  Serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top. 

Let me know if you try it!  To be honest, Asian is the most intimidating cuisine for me to cook.  One of my intentions in 2010 is to cook a lot more Asian dishes.  I want to feel more comfortable with it and expand my cooking into other cultural realms I've yet to explore.  Does anyone have any good tips for experimenting with this type of cuisine?  I may have to try and master a favorite of mine- Hot and Sour Soup!  Although I don't know if anyone can beat Shanghai Restaurant's preparation of that one.  Yum!

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