Pad Thai

I've always loved Pad Thai. My love adventure with this classic Thai dish began when I was younger and wasn't sure what else to order when we would go out for Thai food! I've slowly gotten a bit more courageous, but I keep falling back to my first love of Pad Thai!

Pad Thai

The other night, we were on the phone and my wife's aunt mentioned how she always remembers how good it was when I made Pad Thai for the family a few years back. I dusted off my recipe, and my wok, and set out to make it for dinner!

The Recipe:

• 2 Limes - Juiced
• 4 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Fish Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• 3 Green Onions - Diced
• 2 Tablespoons Peanut Oil
• 1 Cup Chopped Chicken
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 1/2 Cup Whole Peanuts
• 1 Package Rice Noodles

The key to making great food in a wok, is to get the wok good and hot. That said, the food is going to cook really fast, leaving very little time to prep in between steps. It is best to get everything chopped, prepped, and ready, before the cooking process starts. I've found that each brand and package of rice noodles has different instructions. It typically involves soaking the noodles in hot water. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package. I find it is best to get this going first. It usually takes around 30 minutes. 

Pad Thai

Over medium-high to high heat, add the peanut oil to the wok. Throw in the green onions and garlic. Stir around quickly. Once the garlic starts to brown, add in the 4 eggs, all at the same time. I like to use a whisk here to scramble the eggs over the heat. It makes it easier to keep the eggs from staying in one piece too. Add in the rice vinegar and fish sauce. 

Combine the chicken and cayenne in a bowl. Stir to coat the chicken with the cayenne. Add the chicken to the wok. Stir occasionally until cooked. 

Add in the peanuts and rice noodles. To make sure everything gets combined and the noodles get heated evenly, the best thing to do here is toss everything like a salad! Add in the lime juice and cilantro as you stir it.

I like to serve this with soy sauce, sriracha, and garlic chili paste.

For a few different variations, this recipe also works great with shrimp, beef, and pork. Just make sure to adjust the cooking times accordingly. 

For tips on cleaning your wok after use, go here.

Happy eating! 

Cleaning Cast Iron Skillets and Carbon Steel Woks

It has probably happened to each of us at some point. You get a nice cast iron skillet seasoned to perfection and someone comes behind you and cleans it with soap or a degreaser. So how do you clean a cast iron skillet, or in this particular case, a carbon steel wok?

This Wok was dirty!

I reached for my wok the other day and it was nasty. It was dust covered, had food residue, probably some dog hair, and then towards the bottom, rust. A lot of people would probably throw it out at this point. But not me, I reached for the kosher salt.



First, I rinsed the wok in some water to remove as much of the dirt and grime as I could. I left about an inch water in the bottom of the wok and added some salt. The salt is going to act as an abrasive agent on the metal. Using a paper towel or rag, rub the salt around to remove the dirt, food and rust. When you're done, apply a thin coating of mineral oil to combat the elements. I like to let it sit on the stove to let all of the water evaporate off before I put my wok or cast iron skillets away.

Getting ready to scrub a cast iron skillet with Kosher sal

Clean Wok!

I was pretty excited to have a clean wok, so I made some stir fry that ended up as a fried rice. I checked out a few recipes for inspiration and got started.


The recipe:

• Peanut oil
• 1/2 pound skirt steak - cubed, marinated in soy sauce
• 1/2 onion - diced
• 1 bell pepper - diced
• 1/2 a package of mushrooms - diced
• 1 head of broccoli - trimmed and chopped
• 4 carrots - peeled and diced
• 4 garlic cloves - crushed and minced
• 1 cup rice - cooked (optional)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• Soy sauce
• White pepper
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Heat up the wok and add 1 Tbsp of peanut oil. Toss in the skirt steak and quickly stir around with a spatula. When the skirt steak is cooked through, add the butter and garlic. Toss around to coat and remove the skirt steak to bowl. 

Add all veggies, minus the mushrooms, and stir around until the color changes. Add the mushrooms and give a quick stir. Add the skirt steak back in and stir to mix. Sprinkle in some white pepper and some soy sauce. 

At this point, you can leave it as it is and enjoy it as a stir fry, or add the rice and make a fried rice dish. If you go the rice route, add it a little at a time so you stir it in and avoid it sticking. Once the rice browns a little, it's done. 

Plate it up and add some sesame seeds on top and enjoy.

Once it cools, be sure to clean your wok or cast iron skillet as described above so it doesn't end up in the same neglected state as mine.