You could get take-out. Or you could witch-ify your faves at home.
I remember I had pad thai all of maybe one time, and I really wanted to like it... but something about it wasn't there. Something about it wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. So what did I do?
Naturally, I planned in May to grow thai basil and thai red chili peppers so I could make my own batch of goodness with some of the choicest fresh stuff (and some solid quality grocery store stuff, too, because obviously we can't grow fish sauce in a planter pot).
However, as I was looking at this meal, I realized something: this is full of the types of things I want when it comes to getting some good, ambitious, "charge ahead at any cost" energy. But of course, we do ned some foresight, too, no matter how courageous we may feel, so there are some supporting elements in here that'll also give us some stability in the middle of the fire this spicy Thai dish is lighting under our asses.
(And if you don't like spice, of course you can back off on it, because there are still other ingredients that help us along--but if you can bear a single chili as a pinch of garnish, you can capitalize on that energy!)
For this meal, we're looking at the peanut, thai chili, basil, and scallion to get the job done. Let's take a look.
Magic in Homemade Pad Thai
Naturally, there's nothing that fires you up (sorry) more than spicy peppers. If you don't have a high spice tolerance, I'd suggest choosing a pepper that is a bit milder, but the thai chili—that classic, long red one—is a major symbol of protection, power, and good luck that'll help burn away any doubts and insecurities tripping you up. Pair that with the lucky peanut, the tenacious spirit of Fish (be it salmon, carp, etc.) from your fish sauce, and the anti-evil, protective powers of scallion and egg, and you've got some serious energy here.
The energy doesn't stop flowing when we get to our elements and planets, either, of course. You might've guessed there'd be a lot of fire in here with the peppers, but actually, there's quite a bit of water and earth, too—elements that will help you acknowledge your fears rather than repress them, and that will help you find the stability to overcome them for good rather than pretending they aren't there. Nothing good comes of ignoring real problems, and this meal gives you the perseverance and strength to find peace within yourself before taking on the world.
Homemade Pad Thai
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
For Main Meal:
1 lb chicken, cubed small
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions,m sliced thin
1 - 1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
5-10 red thai chilis, sliced
2 Tbsp thai basil, chopped
2 bell peppers, diced
2 eggs
1/2 cup peanuts
Rice or 8oz flat rice noodles
For Sauce:
3 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
4 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 Tbsp tamarind paste (or red chili paste with tamarind in it)
1 Tbsp gochujang
45g peanut butter
(If you’re using rice instead of noodles, you may want to double your sauce amounts!)
Directions:
Mix your sauce together and set aside.
Chop your vegetables, then fry the onion part of the scallion with your bell peppers and half your chilis until soft.
Add garlic and fry until fragrant.
Add chicken and fry until cooked, about 5 minutes
Make a well in the middle of your pan, pushing everything to the side
Scramble your egg and add to the middle, letting cook until about solid and scrambling into the chicken and vegetables.
Add sauce and cook together for another 3 minutes.
Either toss in your noddles or spoon out the mixture onto a bed of rice.
Garnish with remaining chilis and thai basil.
Sometimes, it's fun to get all the deliciousness of takeout without spending that $50 DoorDash fee, y'know? And when you make. your favorites yourself, you also get the benefits of adding all that good witchy power into it, too, making it all the more satisfying (especially when you find out it's not as hard as you thought). Give it a try!
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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