My Pad Thai

My not-so-authentic Pad Thai Sauce
2 T tamarind *
4 T fish sauce
4-6 T sweet chili sauce
6 T brown sugar
4 T fresh lime juice
2 T soy sauce
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 t fresh ginger, minced or use a microplane
2 t paprika
1/2 cup ketchup (I know...not very thai, I told you it was MY version)
Mix all ingredients with a whisk in a small saucepan over low to medium heat until well combined and fairly smooth. Take off heat.
*Tamarind is fruit that grows in tropical Africa and is used all over the world. I bought tamarind today from an Asian specialty market in a block. It is sticky, like a date, and intensely sour. This form can be stored in the crisper of the fridge for a year or two, wrapped in cellophane or in an air tight baggie.
Pad Thai
I soaked my rice noodles for about 45 minutes to an hour in a clean sink in tepid water then drained them well. In a large frying pan (or wok, if you have one, I do not) I heated 4 tablespoons of sesame oil, sautéed my chicken breasts (I cooked boneless, skinless breast in a 350f oven for about 20 minutes, rubbed with sesame oil, salt and pepper earlier in the day), for a couple minutes. Then, added my drained noodles, all at once, pouring my sauce over the top and stir frying with tongs until well distributed and hot. Pushing the noodle and chicken mixture to one side of the pan, I scrambled two eggs in the empty area of the pan then mixed everything together. Chopped green onions, fresh beans sprouts and crushed peanuts went on top. I made the whole package of noodles and used two large chicken breasts and it made a lot.