We absolutely love Thai food but it wasn't a cuisine that I cooked much at home until I got Jet Tila's cookbook "101 Thai Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die." He does a great job of explaining ingredients and has a shopping list of what you need to stock your pantry. While this recipe is not exactly like an authentic pad Thai, I use an ingredient that has become a staple at our house since I started cooking Jet's recipes: tamarind paste. It really flavors the dish and I've found myself adding it to recipes like BBQ sauce, and I even put it in my corn chowder. This noodle dish is light, fresh and heavy on the veggies for summertime.