I'm trying a new recipe for Pad Thai. Okay, this may sound like a dumb question, but the recipe calls for bean sprouts on the side. Am I supposed to cook the bean sprouts, or just serve them raw on the side? Also, the recipe calls for tamarind pulp. I bought some (have never seen it before)...and they are dry crunchy looking pods. Do I just open them and crush the insides? Thanks much for your help. We are trying to expand our culinary tastes!!!!

Yes, put them on raw. You can also add them at the very end of a stir fry, but here they're just sprinkled on raw. You bought tamarind pods. The recipe probably called for prepared tamarind paste. If you absolutely have to use the pods you can try this: To extract the pulp, shell the pods, put them in a saucepan, then add enough water to completely cover the pulp. Simmer for about half an hour, then strain out and discard the seeds. But just skip that and go back and buy the prepared stuff.

Bean sprouts are great raw. I suppose you could stir fry them lightly, and most of the Pad Thai I've eaten just has them mixed in with everything else. My understanding is that the pulp inside tamarind is separate from the seeds, so you shouldn't have to crush everything.

Most are served raw, Your question was not stupid,all you have to for the tamarind is peel off the bark like skin, you can push the pulp through a sieve so you can separate the big seeds from the pulp, which is sweet and sour, Hispanics LOVE that stuff too ( at least I do, yumm!!) Good luck!