Pad Thai 4

1 Pkg (10-16 oz. (.3-.5 kg) rice stick noodles
2Tbl oil (30 ml)
3 or more cloves garlic, crushed or minced
8oz. (250g) Shrimp, peeled (optional)
8oz. (250g) Chicken, Pork or more Shrimp, cut into dice or matchsticks
(optional)
2 or 3 eggs
1 Cup (250ml) bean sprouts
1/4 Cup (60ml) chopped/ground peanuts
1 red chile, finely chopped, or 1 tsp (5ml) red pepper flakes (optional)
1 Cup (250ml) sliced cabbage
Cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Sauce
1/4 Cup (60ml) Thai Fish Sauce
1/4 Cup (60ml) White Vinegar
2 Tbl (30 ml) white sugar
3 Tbl (90 ml) Paprika

Soak the rice noodles in cold water at least two hours before cooking.
Drain

In a large wok, heat oil and stir-fry garlic for 30 seconds. Add shrimp
and other meat if used.

Add the noodles, and stir-fry until al dente. Add sauce ingredients,
cook to allow most of this to be absorbed (2 minutes or so).

Spread the noodles, etc. out to the sides, and add eggs. Some will crack
the eggs directly into the wok, others will pre-scramble. If cracked
into the pan, start stirring them up when partially cooked, so you get
'streaky' yellow and white eggs. As they cook, fold the noodle mixture
back in.

Add 1/2 the bean sprouts, peanuts, red pepper, folded into the mixture.

Serve hot, garnished with the rest of the bean sprouts, chopped cabbage,
cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to be squeezed into the noodles.

In my house, we have doctored this with thai hot chile sauce, sweet and
sour sauce, or sate-style peanut sauce. It takes to any of these very
well, depending on your tastes.