Pad Kee Mao...sort of

Pad Kee Mao is definitely my favorite Thai dish. Many a night out in college were spent chowing down on this Chinese-influenced dish. My version isn't exactly pad kee mao--the real one uses broad noodles and thai chilies. I used whatever I had on hand in my cabinet/fridge. The recipe is based off of one I found here:

http://massiveappetite.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/pad-kee-mao-thai-drunken-noodles/.

For the sauce:

• 2 T oyster sauce
• 2 T fish sauce
• 2 T palm sugar/brown sugar
• 1 T mirin
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T Thai chili-garlic paste (or substitute with another Asian chili sauce, like sriracha)
• Juice of half a lime

Other ingredients:

• 7 ounces rice noodles
  
• 1 T minced garlic
• 10 shrimp
• 2 portabella mushroom caps (I cooked them in chili oil)
• Handful of fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped--use thai basil if possible

1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.
   
2. Cook noodles.
3. Add oil to skillet and saute garlic for about 1 minute.
4. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Add shrimp and heat through.
   
5. Add noodles and sauce to skillet. Toss to coat noodles and heat through, 2-3 minutes.
6. Toss with chopped basil and serve.

Warm Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Sesame Seeds, and Honey

I love finding easy shrimp recipes, and this seemed to fit the bill. The magazine also suggests that it can be made with scallops.It was pretty simple, and I loved the dressing, however it might have been a little too much cabbage for me. Next time I make it, I will probably use less cabbage.

• 8 jumbo shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined or 8 scallops
• 4 oz multigrain spaghetti (I ended up using 6-8 oz whole wheat pasta because I love spaghetti)
• 6 cups shredded Savoy or Napa cabbage (I used 5 cups of savoy)
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 4 tbsp white wine or rice vinegar
• 6 tsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tsp honey
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp sesame seeds (I used a bit more, about half a tbsp)

1. Rinse scallops or shrimp and pat dry. Cut each in half and set aside.
2. Cook spaghetti, rinse, and drain. In a serving bowl, combine pasta, cabbage, carrot, and onion.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, 2 tsp oil, soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
4. Heat 4 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook scallops or shrimp 3 to 4 minutes. Place scallops or shrimp over cabbage mixture. Add dressing and sprinkle iwth sesame seeds, then gently toss to coat.

Rating: 3 ½ stars out of 5

Source: Ladies Home Journal, July 09