Pad Thai (Stir-Fried Rice Noodles)
From: Thailand
Servings:
2
Difficulty:
Medium
Ingredients
- 120-150g dried flat rice noodles (about 3-5mm wide)
- 150g shrimp (peeled) or chicken or firm tofu
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (peanut or vegetable)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1-2 eggs
- 1-1.5 cups bean sprouts
- 3 stalks garlic chives or scallions, cut into 3-4cm pieces
- For sauce: 3 tbsp tamarind paste (not sweetened)
- 2-2.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 2-2.5 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- Warm water (if thinning sauce)
- For garnish: 3-4 tbsp roasted peanuts (roughly crushed)
- Lime wedges, chili flakes, extra bean sprouts
Instructions
- PREP:
- 1. Soak rice noodles in room-temperature water for 30-45 minutes until pliable but not fully soft. Drain just before cooking.
- 2. Mix sauce ingredients: tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar. Adjust to taste: more tamarind for sour, more sugar for sweet, more fish sauce for salty. Set aside.
- COOK:
- 3. Heat oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.
- 4. Add minced garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds until fragrant.
- 5. Add shrimp/chicken/tofu. Stir-fry until just cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
- 6. Add drained noodles and most of the sauce. Toss continuously for 2-3 minutes, breaking up noodles, until they're just cooked through and coated.
- 7. If noodles seem dry, add more sauce or a splash of water.
- 8. Push noodles to one side. Add a bit more oil if needed. Crack eggs into the pan. Scramble lightly, then fold into noodles.
- 9. Add bean sprouts and garlic chives. Toss for 30-60 seconds—they should stay crisp.
- 10. Remove from heat immediately.
- SERVE:
- 11. Transfer to a plate. Top with crushed peanuts.
- 12. Serve with lime wedges, chili flakes, and extra bean sprouts on the side.
- 13. Let each person adjust sourness, sweetness, saltiness, and heat at the table.