Posted on: Wednesday, December 15, 2004
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LIGHT & LOCAL
Homemade pad Thai light, 'ono
By Carol Devenot
One of my favorite things to do is to go down to Chinatown and sit at the Maunakea Food Court and eat pad Thai. There is one particular concession that seems to draw lots of people. One of their specialties is pad Thai. They cook it right there, so you know that it is fresh and so 'ono.
I did some research and came up with my own healthier version. I found that pad Thai literally means Thai-style fried noodles. Although the name suggests a Thai origin, it really was introduced by a wave of immigrants from southern China to Thailand. The Chinese brought rice noodles and their recipes. The Thais, with their love of hot, sour, sweet, and salty flavors, added these to their stir-fried dishes and gave it a fusion name much like Western chefs today.
For this recipe, I used whole-wheat udon noodles. If you can't find them, look for any flat, whole-wheat noodles at a health food store. Follow package directions. Try not to overcook the noodles or the vegetables. While stir-frying the chicken with a small amount of peanut oil, add water if necessary. I water sauté all the time. It saves on calories. Instead of chicken, you may use shrimp or a combination.
To make this vegetarian, use firm tofu and vegetarian stir-fry sauce instead of fish sauce. You can even get packets of pad Thai sauce mix at the markets and Asian grocery stores. Try some pad Thai tonight, and you will feel like one of those expert cooks in Chinatown.
PAD THAI
For the sauce:
For the noodles:
Combine fish sauce, sugar, garlic chili sauce, garlic, Chinese parsley (cilantro), lemon grass and lemon or lime juice. Set aside.
Cook noodles, following package directions. Drain and set aside. In a wok, heat the oil and add the chicken. Stir-fry 10 minutes. Combine Chinese peas and chop-suey mix, add to stir-fry and toss. Add the beaten egg whites and noodles. Stir until well combined. Add the sauce, and mint and basil leaves. Garnish with fresh basil and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately on a platter.
Serves 4.
• Per serving: 419 calories, 28 grams protein, 8 grams fat, 66 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams dietary fiber, 1,627 milligrams sodium. Note: One tablespoon of fish sauce contains 1,390 milligrams of sodium. Decreasing the amount of fish sauce will decrease the sodium content, but fish sauce contributes a great deal of pad Thai's customary flavor. Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine"(Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.
