LOBSTER PAD THAI

from Red Ginger Favorites Class/ The Culinary Center (Serves 2)

SAUCE

¼ cup tamarind juice

3 tablespoons each palm sugar, fish sauce, nam prik pao

(Thai chili paste), and creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon ginger juice (grate unpeeled ginger into a cheesecloth and squeeze juice into small bowl)

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. If needed, thin with warm water. Reserve.

PAD THAI

2 tablespoons peanut oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons ginger juice

¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced on diagonal

½ cup leeks, thinly sliced on diagonal

1 cup lobster pieces 2 eggs, beaten 4 cups rice noodles, softened ½ cup bean sprouts

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

4 lime wedges ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts Practice mise en place by lining up the ingredients in the order shown, with ½ cup of the prepared sauce between the eggs and the noodles.

In a wok over high heat, heat the peanut oil. When the oil is hot, begin adding the garlic, ginger, scallions, and leeks to the wok in sequence. Use two spatulas and continuously toss to cook evenly and keep ingredients from burning at high heat. Slide the vegetables up the sides of the wok and add the egg to scramble. When the egg is just cooked, bring back the vegetables and lobster and add the ½ cup of sauce, noodles, and bean sprouts. Using the spatulas, gently toss the ingredients to cover them with sauce, adding more if needed, being careful not to break the noodles. When heated through, divide between two serving dishes. Finish with the sesame oil, lime wedges, and peanuts.