Chef Jet Tila is probably best known as Executive
Chef of Wazuzu, the critically-acclaimed Pan-Asian restaurant in the Encore Las
Vegas resort. But the LA native's first professional identity was as a cooking
instructor, holding classes in his backyard at 22 He's also gone on to be acclaimed for his
recipes, blogs, videos,
and making the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest stir-fry. A
chef and partner in the restaurant industry, Jet specializes in classic Thai
and Chinese cooking. He's a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu and the California Sushi
Academy, a radio show hoist in Los Angeles and a Food Network guest chef on
several shows, including Cut Throat Kitchen.
He is the first chef appointed by Thailand to represent Thai cuisine in
America.
Sometimes Asian dishes seem too complex and home versions
rarely mirror what you could get very cheaply from a restaurant. But Chef Jet makes it so easy! Of course, that comes naturally for him
because he’s an expert in Pan-Asian cuisine.
All Thai
cooking is based on one three-letter word:
YUM …. Hot Sour, Salty, Sweet.
And his recipe for Pad Thai represents this beautifully!
PAD
THAI
For pad thai sauce:
4 tablespoons Tiparos fish sauce (or use soy sauce)
4 tablespoons tamarind paste
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha (or use Paprika for less spice)
4 tablespoons sugar
For the Pad Thai:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons salted turnip, minced
1 teaspoon dried shrimp
1/2 cup baked tofu, diced
1/2 cup chicken breast, cut into thin strips
2 eggs
8 fresh shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 tablespoon paprika
4 green onions, cut into 2-inch strips
1 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Soak
the noodles in warm water, and cover for 1 hour.
For the pad thai sauce: In a small bowl, combine fish sauce,
tamarind paste, lime juice, vinegar, Sriracha, and sugar.
For
the pad thai:
Put wok or large sauté pan over high heat, and add oil, making sure to coat the
pan completely. When the pan starts to smoke, add garlic and stir for 5
seconds. Then add the turnip, dried shrimp, and tofu, stir-frying until they
begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
Add
chicken and continue to stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink, about 1-2
minutes.
Push
ingredients in the wok to the side of the pan, and allow remaining oil to
settle in the center of the pan. Crack eggs into the pan, making sure to break
the yolks, and then lightly scramble until they're half cooked, about 30
seconds. Combine with remaining cooked ingredients in the pan, and add fresh
shrimp. Cook for about 1 more minute or until the shrimp is about halfway
cooked.
Add
3 cups drained noodles, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles are
soft. Add sauce mixture and paprika, and fold together until all of the liquid
is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Place
most of the green onions and about half of the bean sprouts in the center of
the noodles, and spoon some noodles to cover, allowing the vegetables to steam
for about 30 seconds.
Stir
in 3 tablespoons peanuts, and then garnish with remaining green onions, bean
sprouts, and peanuts.
