webmztriss

• 4 TB kosher salt
• 4 TB granulated sugar
• 4 TB brown sugar
• 4 TB fresh ground cumin
• 4 TB chile powder
• 4 TB fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 TB cayenne pepper
• 4 TB paprika
• 2 TB granulated garlic
• 2 TB granulated onion

combine in bowl, mix well, store in airtight container.
rub on any meat or fish and grill.

It’s especially good on chicken and pork.

for 2 portions

This tastes like the real thing you get at the restaurants. Keep a batch of sauce on hand and pad thai can become an quick stand-by supper. It pays to spend time tracking down the authentic ingredients. I’m lucky to have a choice of Asian markets near me including Super 88 in Malden and Reliable Market in Union Square, Somerville.

Make the Sauce

1/2 cup tamarind pulp

1/2 cup fish sauce (nam pla)

1/2 cup palm sugar (you can substitute white or brown sugar, use only 1/3 cup)

1- 4 Thai Chiles, dry or fresh – to taste

Soften tamarind pulp in hot water to separate the pulp from the seeds; and strain. Heat tamarind with fish sauce and sugar in a small pot over a low flame until sugar is melted. Add diced chiles.

Prepare the Ingredients

Cooking and Assembly

1. Heat wok over medium high heat
2. add oil
3. add chicken if using, cook until chicken is about half cooked
4. add the tofu and 2 Tb of the sauce
5. add the garlic and shallots or onions
6. cook until tofu starts to brown on the edges
7. add the noodles and 1/2 cup of the sauce
8. cook, stirring vigorously until noodles are cooked
9. move all ingredients to the side of the wok and pour in the beaten egg
10. when egg is set, toss together with noodles
11. add shrimp, dried shrimp (if using), peanuts and sprouts
12. keep everything moving and continue to cook adding more sauce if needed
13. when the shrimps are done, add the garlic chives, toss and serve
14. garnish with lime wedges and extra ground peanuts

As with many of my recipes this makes a big batch – about 2 gallons! I make chutneys, sauces, jelllies etc. once a year or so. Then I can them into various size jars; big ones for home, smaller ones to give away. This is a big project between the chopping, cooking and canning, but there’s nothing like cracking open a jar of homemade BBQ sauce to turn an everyday meal in to something really special.

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 8 cups onions, coarse chop
• 1 heads garlic, coarse chop
• 1 cup jalepeños, seed and coarse chop
• 1 ½ cup ancho chile powder
• 12 cups whole tomatoes in juice (#10 can)
• 2 quarts water or vegetable stock
• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 cups red wine vinegar
• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 cups molasses
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard
• 1 (7 oz.) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 T smoked salt
• 1 T black pepper

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan, with capacity about 3 gallons
Add the onions, garlic and jalepeño, cook about 5 minutes until veggied start to wilt.
Add the chile powder and continue cooking until onion is translucent about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and water.Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an hour over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Pureé the mixture in a food processor or use an immersion blender.
The BBQ sauce will keep about 2 weeks in the refrigerator or up to a year if you can it.