By contributor Zyre Hoskins
???? Zyre Hoskins
Why buy pad thai at a restaurant when you can make it at home? This student-budget friendly meal is perfect for those nights in, when all you want to do is watch Netflix, drink beer, and curl up with a bowl of warm comfort food. This recipe serves four hungry people, or 5-6 regular people. With a prep time of only 20 minutes, and cook time of half an hour, you’ll be pressing play in no time.
Average cost: about $30-40 depending on deals. $50 if you don’t already have some stuff lying around.
Ingredients:
Pad Thai
1 package rice noodles
1 head of garlic, minced
2-3 Thai red chillies, sliced thinly
5-10 mushrooms (depending on your feelings on mushrooms)
6 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless is ideal)
2-3 medium sized red onions (to taste)
2-3 baby bok choy, base removed, chopped into roughly 1inch pieces
1 package bean sprouts
Garnish
1-2 bunches green onions
1-2 bunches cilantro
1 cup crushed peanuts, plus more for topping to taste
Sauce
2 bottles “Memories of Szechuan” sauce from President’s Choice
Instructions
1. Mince garlic. Slice chilies (leave seeds in for heat), slice onions into medium-thin pieces, slice mushrooms, bok choy (use the stems for added crunch), green onions, and cilantro.
2. Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces. Soak rice noodles in a bowl of warm water, fully submerged. Add a tbsp of oil to a large pot and let warm on medium-low.
3. Add minced garlic and chilies and cook until garlic begins to brown, stirring often. Add half of sauce and 1 cup water, stir, and turn to high heat. Once bubbling, add chicken, mushrooms, onions and crushed peanuts. Cover, stirring occasionally.
4. Once chicken is cooked through, drain noodles and add to pot. Mix in bean sprouts and bok choy. Cover again and cook until noodles are soft. Serve with a drizzle of the remaining sauce, and top with cilantro, green onions, and more crushed peanuts (if you feel like it). Add lime juice for extra zest.