Authentic Pad Thai
The Classic Rice Noodle Dish
There’s no more classic rice noodle dish than Pad Thai, and no bigger fan favourite when I have company over for dinner. This iconic dish features stir-fried rice noodles, scrambled eggs, tofu, shrimp, a whole bag of bean sprouts, and a medley of seasonings and herbs that make for the perfect balance of savoury, sweet, and tangy every time and with every bite.
Just like my Thai Yellow Curry recipe, it’s best to prep your spices and ingredients beforehand. This is one of those dishes that comes together in under five minutes once you start cooking, and I prefer to line my ingredients next to my wok in the order they’re added to keep everything moving quickly and smoothly.
Most noodle dishes don’t make for great leftovers, but I can say with confidence that isn’t the case here. Hot out of the wok or cold out of the fridge the next day, I promise you’re going to love this recipe. — CFG
ingredients
For the Pad Thai Sauce
3-4 tbsp tamarind concentrate
5 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup hot water
6 tbsp fish sauce
2-3 tsp chili powder
For the Main Dish
1/2 package Thai rice noodles
2-3 tbsp neutral cooking oil
1 shallot (or 1/2 small onion), diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp shrimp paste
10-12 large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1/2 cup firm tofu, cut into 1/4” cubes
1 egg, whisked
1 package bean sprouts
2 green onions, chopped
For Garnish
2 tbsp peanuts, chopped
1-2 limes (for serving)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
chili pepper flakes/powder
Directions
To prepare the sauce, add 3-4 tbsp of tamarind concentrate, 5 tbsp of brown sugar, 6 tbsp of fish sauce, 2-3 tsp of chili powder, and 1/2 cup of hot water to a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until ingredients are fully dissolved and set aside.
Prepare the following ingredients and place each item into a separate ramekin or small bowl:
1 diced shallot (or 1/2 small onion)
3 minced garlic cloves
1 1/2 tsp shrimp paste
1 whisked egg
2 chopped green onions
2 tbsp of chopped peanuts
1-2 limes, quartered
1/3 cup of roughly chopped cilantro
a pinch of chili pepper flakes/powder
Prepare 10-12 large, uncooked shrimp by rinsing under cold water, removing shells, deveining, and removing tails. Pat dry and set aside.
Rinse 1 package of bean sprouts under cold water and strain. Remove any wilted or discoloured sprouts. Pat dry and set aside.
Prepare 1/2 cup of firm tofu by patting dry with a paper towel and cut into 1/4” cubes. In a frying pan, add a splash of neutral cooking oil and cook the tofu cubes on medium/high heat until they are lightly brown and toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place 1/2 a package of Thai rice noodles in a medium/large mixing bowl and cover with very hot water. Make sure the noodles are fully submersed in the water and stir occasionally. Allow the noodles to soak for 5-7 minutes (or until al dente/just shy of fully cooked). Drain the hot water and lightly rinse the noodles, then set aside.
In a wok, add 2-3 tbsp of neutral cooking oil, then add in shallots (or onion) and cook on medium/high heat for ~1 min, or until the onions soften but do not brown. Next, add in the minced garlic and stir together with the onions for another 30 seconds. Add the shrimp paste to the mixture and stir again for ~30 seconds.
Add the raw shrimp to the mixture and toss with onions and paste. Cook for ~2 min until the shrimp become opaque.
Add 1/2 of the sauce and mix thoroughly, then add in the rice noodles and toss the mixture together with a set of tongs.
Move the noodles to one side of the wok and add in a splash of cooking oil, then add in the whisked egg and move around the other the tongs.
Using the tongs, incorporate the egg into the noodle mixture.
Next, add in half of the remaining sauce and toss the mixture one more time. (Add in as much of the remaining sauce as you like, depending on how wet/dry you like you Pad Thai.)
Turn off the heat and transfer the noodles to a serving platter. Top with 2 chopped green onions, 2 tbsp of chopped peanuts. 1/3 cup of roughly chopped cilantro, and a pinch of chili pepper flakes/powder.
Serve with 1-2 quartered limes (or squeeze lime juice directly onto dish) and enjoy!
