I found this recipe last week, and it's in my to-try-soon binder. It looks good!

Perfect Pad Thai (Chatelaine---a Canadian Magazine)

1/2 of a 454-g (l lb) pkg rice-stick noodles, about 1/4 in. wide
1 tbsp (15 mL) dark sesame oil
350-g pkg extra-firm tofu
1/2 cup (125 mL) bottled tamarind paste (see note at bottom)
2 limes or 1 lemon
1/3 cup (75 mL) coarsely chopped cilantro
1 tbsp (15 mL) hot chili-garlic sauce, or 1 tsp (5 mL) hot chili flakes and 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) fish sauce
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
340-g pkg peeled raw shrimp, preferably medium
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
3 eggs, beaten
3 green onions, thickly sliced
1 handful of bean sprouts
1/2 cup (125 mL) peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Fill a large bowl with boiling water. Add noodles, separating as you add. Soak, stirring occasionally to separate noodles, just until tender to the bite, 15 to 22 min. Drain well, then toss with sesame oil. Soaking noodles instead of boiling them gives a tender texture that’s not mushy.

To draw excess liquid from tofu, remove from package, wrap in a clean tea towel and place on a large plate. Cover with another plate and weigh down with a heavy can. Let stand 15 min. Cut into small cubes.

Meanwhile, place tamarind paste in a medium bowl. Squeeze in 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice from limes, then add cilantro, chili-garlic sauce and sugar.

Pour fish sauce into a medium bowl. Slice chicken into thin bite-sized strips. Add to fish sauce. Toss to coat.

Heat vegetable oil in a very large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high. When hot, add chicken and fish sauce. Stir-fry until cooked through, 5 min. Turn into a large bowl. (At each stage of cooking, add oil to pan if needed.)

Add shrimp and pepper. Stir-fry until shrimp are pink, 3 min. Add to bowl with chicken. Stir-fry tofu until warm and lightly golden, 2 to 3 min. Turn into bowl with chicken and shrimp.

Add eggs. Stir often, until eggs are scrambled and cooked but not dry, about 1 min. Add to cooked ingredients in bowl.

Turn drained noodles into pan. Pour tamarind and lime-juice sauce overtop. Cook, stirring frequently to coat, until hot, 1 to 3 min. Turn ingredients in bowl over noodles.

Sprinkle with green onions, then toss to mix. If pan is too full, turn noodles and sauce into a bowl and toss with tongs or a fork and spoon. Taste and add more fish sauce or chili-garlic sauce, if you like. Serve topped with bean sprouts and peanuts. Great with lime wedges.

TAMARIND SUBSTITUTION
Although ketchup is a common replacement for tamarind paste, we prefer this tasty mixture: 1/4 cup (50 mL) tomato paste, 2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar or freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, 2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) water.

That looks like a good Pad Thai recipe, and you probably did buy those noodles for Pad Thai of some sort. Do not omit the tamarind paste - the substitutes are not as good. I use a somewhat similar recipe that Lythonde posted a few years ago. I buy tamarind paste in brick form, and so it has to have water added to it and checked for seeds. I planted one of the seeds I found and had a tamarind tree growing in my yard in Venice. Unfortunately, they get very tall, but I'm not there any more, and so it doesn't matter. I buy tamarind products at an Indonesian store, but they are also readily available at Thai and Indian markets. The Indonesian market has more varieties than I've seen elsewhere, however, and it is closer to me.

Lars

Pad Thai is a good thought. I make a Beef noodle salad, you can sub out the beef.

Here is another Pad Thai recipe, have fun.

PAD THAI

1 pound shrimp or chicken breast cut into thin -- bite size pieces
12 oz. dried rice noodles
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons hot chili sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
4 cloves garlic -- finely minced
1 egg -- beaten
6 green onions -- sliced diagonally
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
3 tablespoons peanuts -- chopped (3 to 4)
3 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped
lime cut into wedges

Prepare everything in this order:
MAKE sauce with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili sauce and vinegar.
CHOP the garlic, green onions, peanuts and cilantro; set aside in separate bowls.
SOAK the noodles in warm water to cover for 10 minutes. They should still be a little hard when drained.
HEAT wok or large skillet on high; add oil. Saute the shrimp or chicken, then half of the green onions. Add garlic momentarily, then add the egg and scramble quickly. Add the drained rice noodles and toss to coat. Add the sauce mixture and let cook for 30 seconds. Add remaining green onions, bean sprouts, peanuts, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges

Beef Noodle Salad

Thai Beef Noodle Salad

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen
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Tested Till Perfect

Flank steak absorbs intense flavours from this marinade. Wear rubber gloves while handling chilies.

This recipe makes 6 serving(s)
Thai Beef Noodle Salad

Thai Beef Noodle Salad
Photography by Yvonne Duivenvoorden

Nutritional information available online.
Ingredients

1 1flank marinating steakflank marinating steaks, (about 1 lb/500 g)
1 1English cucumberEnglish cucumbers
1 1carrotcarrots, large
6 6oz oz(170 g) (170 g) wide rice stick noodles
1/4 1/4red onionred onions, thinly sliced
3 3tbsp tbsp(45 mL) (45 mL) chopped fresh coriander
3 3tbsp tbsp(45 mL) (45 mL) chopped fresh mint
3 3tbsp tbsp(45 mL) (45 mL) Thai basil leafThai basil leaves or basil leaves
1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) chopped unsalted peanutunsalted peanuts
Marinade
2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) soy sauce
1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) sesame oil
1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) vegetable oil
2 2cloves clovesgarlic, minced
2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) grated gingerroot
1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) granulated sugar
Dressing
1/2 1/2cup cup(125 mL) (125 mL) hot water
1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) granulated sugar
2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) lime juice
2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) fish sauce
2 2Thai chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Preparation:
Marinade: In glass baking dish, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and sugar; add steak, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 12 hours.)

Dressing: In jar with tight-fitting lid, shake water with sugar until dissolved. Add lime juice, fish sauce and chilies; shake to combine. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 5 days.)

Using vegetable peeler, slice cucumber lengthwise into thin strips, slicing around centre seeds. Slice carrot lengthwise into thin strips; set aside.

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook rice noodles for 6 to 7 minutes or until tender.

Drain and chill under cold water; drain and transfer to large bowl. Toss with dressing. Set aside.

Discarding marinade, place steak on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until desired doneness, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil; let stand for 5 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.

Add cucumber, carrot, onion, coriander, mint and basil to noodle mixture; toss to coat. Divide among bowls or plates; top with steak and sprinkle with peanuts.

Here is a link that might be useful: beef noodle salad link

Hey Jessy!
I make almost the exact same Pad Thai recipe, but I sub out the fish sauce and usually use either soy or mst recently ponzu. I think the fish sauce is jsut a bit too potent for me.

I am pretty sure I got my original recipe from the CF, I'm glad I can finally put a name to the contributor! Thanks!!!

Alexa

Boy, talk about pooping and poofing! I found out absolutely last minute that Judy Collins was playing locally at a very nice venue, so we decided to go. I had planned on making Pad Thai from scratch but instead I made it with a bottle of "Thai Peanut Sauce" that I had in the fridge, plus some ketchup and mango powder. I thought it was tamarind powder! Oh yeah, and a little more garlic and some Singapore Seasoning that I had from Penzeys. It was a little thin so I added more peanut butter. It needed lime juice, but we barely made it to the concert on time as it was. Still, it was good and I can't wait to make it again, only with all the REAL ingredients. Oh dear, I just used up my rice noodles and now I need to buy some more. I have to use up a couple more things first I think, to make room!

Judy Collins was fantastic though--71 and looked and sounded 51!