Pad Thai Second Try

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Since last night I had to cook something for dinner and lunch today and I had some leftover chicken, I decided to make a Pad Thai yet again. I had all the ingredients, plus I didn't feel like eating rice or pasta. Noodles were the perfect alternative for an evening in which I had gotten home late, was exhausted and still had to do laundry, cook and clean. I've read many recipes and they are all different. For example, in one website I saw that the authentic Pad Thai doesn't have that pinkish coloring to it. It's just plain in color. This time around I marinated the chicken in soy sauce, fish sauce and spices. A little of each. Then, I soaked the noodles in hot water for about 20 minutes always checking its consistency. I used some olive oil and mustard seeds to stir-fry the chicken and then I added 2-3 tablespoons of red onion and some white pepper and chilly flakes (just enough to make it a little spicy). Then I added 3-4 tablespoons of crushed tomatoes and 3 tablespoons of tamarind concentrate juice and added 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. When all of that looked like a glossy brownish sauce, I added some well chopped parsley and cashew nuts that I had previously cut into small pieces. I quickly added the noodles and mixed it carefully, but well since rice noodles are much more delicate then Italian pasta. On top I added the bean sprouts and some fresh parsley to  infuse some color and a fresh aroma to the dish. On the side I had more pepper (crushed red pepper from a Chinese store in town) and warm edamame. It didn't come out like the Pad Thai  dishes I am used to, but overall it was very, very tasty. It was very fresh and I made a huge progress. Next time, I will try making it vegetarian.

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