On the days that the more exclusive food shops in Munich, and even the Viktualienmarkt can’t cut the mustard, when looking for certain ingredients I head to Rosenheimer Platz, and a little Shop that I love, and which more often that not has comes up with the goods.
Not only is it nice to be amongst both food and people with which I have a shared connection of not being from around these parts (I often head here if I am feeling homesick strangely enough), it’s a treasure trove for ingredients from all over the globe. And if you are looking, stocks a variety of English goods including brown sugar, PG Tips, Heinz beans, Colemans Mustard and Horlicks of all things…
When I walk in to the cool room at the back of the shop, I am always transported back to past travels thanks to the heady aroma of fresh herbs and a definite hint of durian for added authenticity…
On this particular visit, my basket was quickly stuffed with Thai basil, pak choi, hot chillies, limes of both the fruit and the leaf variety and a rather squat green papaya. It is a slightly dangerous place in that I can never just buy what I have actually come in for, and predictably curry pastes, gochujang, miso and some dried seaweed quickly get chucked as well. Fragile rice noodles, and three tins of coconut milk at a fraction of the supermarket price make the grade too, and finally some English tea bags top off the lot for good measure.
A lot of it got made into Pad Thai later that evening, reminding me this time not of trips to the East, but of a much missed South London local and its great Thai kitchen… (I find the kick from the chillies helps beat the cold too!)…
Pad Thai (Serves 4):
2tbs fish sauce;
6tbs palm sugar;
4tbs tamarind concentrate;
5tbs peanut or vegetable oil;
8 red shallots finely chopped;
4 eggs;
250g dried rice noodles blanched in boiling water;
2tbs dried prawns, rinsed and dried;
2tbs chopped roasted peanuts;
2 handfuls of trimmed beanshoots;
1 spring onion sliced;
your choice of extra beanshoots, fresh chillies, limes, large prawns, cooked sliced chicken etc., lime wedges to serve.
Mix the tamarind concentrate with palm sugar and fish sauce until sugar dissolves, set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat.
Fry the shallots until they begin to colour,
add eggs and cook through until they begin to resemble scrambled egg,
turn up the heat and add the cooked noodles, then the tamarind mixture, and simmer for a few minutes.
Stir in dried prawns, and peanuts and stir until most of the sauce is absorbed,
Add beanshoots and spring onions and stir for a few minutes.
Transfer to serving dishes, and top with the optional ingredients.
Recipe adapted from a Pad Thai recipe in the very excellent Lonely Planet Street Food…
anyonita says
Thank you so much for submitting this recipe to the Tasty Tuesday’s link party! :) This week’s link party has just been submitted, so please come back and link up with us; we’d love to have you!
bavaria says
I am so unorganised at the moment Anyonita, but don’t worry, I will be back! Thank you! :)
anyonita says
Ya know, when I read your title, I was expecting a mouth-watering cake or a plate of mac & cheese. (Funny how we always think of our own comfort foods, isn’t it?!) But my jaw dropped when I saw that bowl of Pad Thai. There’s a restaurant my husband & I love, & have been dozens of times and I have only ever tried one main & it’s the Pad Thai. I wouldn’t have considered Pad Thai to be a comfort food for me, but it most certainly is! Especially when it looks like that! This recipe sounds fab, too. I’m going to pin it & have a go at making it. :) I followed you from Brit Mums, by the way! Also: I have a food link party on my blog on Tuesdays. I’d love for you to stop by and submit a recipe!
bavaria says
Thank you Anyonita, and welcome! Funny the things I consider to be comfort food nowadays! :)
farfromhomemama says
Thai food is my absolute favourite and has been my biggest craving through both pregnancies. And after reading this, I need MORE!
bavaria says
Lovely isn’t it? We have just discovered a pretty good Vietnamese not far from us, which will make a nice addition to the list of favourite restaurants! :D
Mary says
Gosh, I love a good Pad Thai. We can’t get any of those ingredients here :-( Having said that, we did stuff the car with spices etc last time we were in the UK – but no tamarind paste!! Error!
bavaria says
Add it to the list for next time!! Thanks Mary… :)
Grace says
Love the look of this recipe and will definately give it ago when its my turn to cook! xx
bavaria says
Good good! Xxx
Helen says
i do love thai food it is my favourite. ps are you a marmite girl that is very english?
bavaria says
Thank you… Yes, love Marmite! :)
Funky Wellies says
Sounds delicious, will have to try it… It sometimes does require some effort to find everything you need!! xx
bavaria says
Doesn’t it just :D Thank you…
Trish - Mum's Gone to says
I can smell that recipe coming off the page. Aaaaah…
bavaria says
Thanks Trish… :)
Pia says
Strange how Horlicks feels as much Indian as it is English. We grew up with it in Calcutta, and to its TV commercials and jingles.
You’ve just inspired tonight’s dinner – we love Pad Thai – so thanks for that, Emma! Will follow your recipe.
bavaria says
How funny Pia… Thank you, hope it turned out ok… :)
A Patchwork Life says
Pad Thai is one of my all time favourites – lots of different recipes out there, haven’t quite found my perfect combo yet, so will definitely try yours! x
bavaria says
Thank you… as long as it has plenty of chilli, lime and prawns it, I don’t mind any version but this one is particularly good (as is the book)
Jazzygal says
You’ve found a right treasure trove in that local shop! Great that it can invoke such memories of home. That dish sounds so yummy I’ve bookmarked it :-)
xx Jazzy
bavaria says
Thank you Jazzy… I am away at the moment so not up to my usual commenting capacity, but will catch up when I’m back in a few days xx