By Lourdes Bautista PAD THAI CHICKEN History of Pad Thai Pad Thai is stir-fry noodle dish that has become very popular in the United States; however, Pad Thai only became popular after WWII. To begin with, Pad Thai was introduced to Thailand by the Vietnamese traders. However, the prime minister, Luang Phibunsongkhram, further popularized Pad Thai when he campaign to promote Thai nationalism and to reduce domestic rice consumption in Vietnam. As a result, even today, you can buy a plate of Pad Thai all over the streets of Bangkok by street food carts. The reason why I decided to make Pad Thai was because I had never heard or tried this stir-fry dish even though it is said that it is very popular in the U.S. Ingredients Sauce Cup white sugar Cup distilled white vinegar Cup fish sauce 2 tbs tamarind paste Main Dish Ingredients 1 (12 oz) rice noodles 1 tsp garlic 1 chicken breast 4 eggs 1 tbs sugar 1 tsp salt Cup ground peanuts 2 tbs butter Garnish Cup chopped chives 1 tbs paprika 2 Cups beans sprouts Lime wedges Ingredients To avoid going to different stores, it is recommended for you to go to an Asian Market that is large and contains a large variety of Asian produce. The store that I decided to go to was Mitsuwa Market Place and to 99 Ranch Market, both are located in Clairemont Mesa Blv. Preparing the Sauce Before anything, soak the rice noodles in room temperature water for minutes. Then, on a medium size skillet, add the cup sugar, cup distilled white vinegar, fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste. Leave ingredients until they simmer in a medium heat. Avoid boiling because this will cause a burnt flavor. When finished, set aside. Preparing the chicken Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Then, place 2 tablespoons of butter and garlic on the skillet. Place the bite size chicken pieces on the skillet and cook through until chicken becomes tender. When chicken is ready, set it aside. Bringing All the Ingredients Together Before putting all the ingredients together, place cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet and pour four beaten eggs. Then, add the chicken when the eggs are nearly cooked through. Leave for about a minute and stir occasionally. Bringing All the Ingredients Together Then, add the cooked rice noodles and stir. Next, add the sauce and give a few stirs to mix all the ingredients together. Garnish Plate Moreover, add 1 tsp salt and 1 tbs sugar (stir). Once Pad Thai is ready, serve immediately. Place some noodles on a plate, add bean sprouts on the side, sprinkle chopped chives and paprika, and add slices of lime wedges. Finally, enjoy. Evaluating the Final Product The panelist who evaluated my first homemade Pad Thai Chicken were my father, brother, boyfriend, and I. When I first handed the plate to my family, which was their first time eating this dish, they looked surprised and immediately asked, Where are the tortillas? However, once they took a bite, they were pleased and were eager to get some more. Overall, the Pad Thai Chicken did turn out good; however, the next time I do this plate I will add the bean sprouts to the Pad Thai so they can cook.