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(CBS)  Pad Thai

This simple home-style noodle dish made with chicken and shrimp is quick and easy to prepare. The right noodle is essential. Look in Asian markets and well-stocked food stores for the flat ribbon-shaped noodle called sen lek in Thai. They are 1/8 inch wide and made with rice flour.

1/2 lb. dried rice ribbon noodles
2 Tbs. vegetable oil, or as needed
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, about
1/4 lb., cut into strips 1/8 inch thick
1/4 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup minced shallot or yellow onion
3 Tbs. tomato ketchup or tomato paste
2 Tbs. plus 1 1/2 tsp. Thai fish sauce
2 Tbs. lime juice or rice vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1 egg
Large pinch of red pepper flakes
4 Tbs. chicken broth
1/2 lb. mung bean sprouts
6 green onions, including tender green portions,
cut into 2-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Place the noodles in a bowl, add warm water to cover and soak until soft and pliable, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a nonstick wok over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the oil. Add the chicken and toss and stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and toss and stir until bright pink, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Return the wok to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Add the garlic and shallot and toss and stir until golden, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the ketchup, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Toss and stir until thickened, about 30 seconds. Crack the egg into the middle of the wok and lightly beat. Cook, without stirring, until set, about 20 seconds. Gently fold the egg into the sauce; tiny egg flecks should peek through the sauce. Add the noodles and red pepper flakes and, using tongs, toss to coat with the sauce. Add the chicken broth, 2 Tbs. at a time, to moisten the stiff noodles, and cook until the noodles begin to cling together and are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add the bean sprouts, green onions, carrot, chicken-shrimp mixture and half of the peanuts. Toss to combine and cook until the bean sprouts begin to wilt, about 3 minutes.

Divide among individual plates and top with the remaining peanuts and the cilantro. Squeeze the lime wedges over the noodles. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

Adapted from "Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Asian Flavors," by Joyce Jue (Time-Life Books, 1999)

Beef Sukiyaki with Noodles

The meat must be very thinly sliced for this dish. Ask your butcher to slice it with a slicing machine, or put it into the freezer for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour and then slice it yourself. Firming it up in the freezer makes cutting very thin, uniform slices easier.

1/4 cup water
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup sake
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. corn or peanut oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1/2 large head napa cabbage, shredded
6 oz. cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water to cover for 15 minutes and drained
1 lb. beef sirloin, very thinly sliced across the grain
2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Set the braising liquid aside.

Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add the oil. Add the yellow onion and stir-fry just until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and stir-fry just until the cabbage wilts and the mushrooms have softened, about 2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, pour the braising liquid over the vegetables and bring to a low simmer. Stir in the noodles and beef and simmer for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the green onions and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Adapted from "Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Asian," by Farina Wong Kingsley (Oxmoor House, 2007)