Pad Thai
Growing up in the Midwest, my food experience consisted of casseroles, lots of beef, and if there was any cuisine other than Midwestern fare, it was often German food. My palate was pretty limited. So when I moved to California, you can imagine how excited I was to try all the different cuisines that were once unattainable to me and now were readily available.
When my friend Cindy introduced me to Thai food, it was Pad Thai, Yellow curry, and Tom Yum Gai. That, was the start of my love affair with Thai food.
It was also where I started when I wanted to learn how to cook my favorite Thai dishes. My first attempt was a disaster. It was a flavorless, gloppy pile of noodles. Then I tried a couple of Pad Thai kits. The texture was a bit better, but the flavor was still lacking. With the help of the internet, I was able to find authentic recipes and techniques. Twenty-plus years later, I have come full circle, making Pad Thai that rivals any restaurant version.
I am able to serve authentic Pad Thai because of this recipe from Hot Thai Kitchen: