Recipe for Traditional Pad Thai — Thailand's National Dish. Balanced Flavors of Sweet, Sour, Salty & Umami

 

Here's a detailed recipe for traditional Pad Thai — Thailand's national dish. Known for its perfectly balanced flavors of sweet, sour, salty, and umami. 🇹🇭

Authentic Pad Thai Recipe

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Pad Thai Sauce:

·         3 tablespoons tamarind juice (soaked and strained from the tamarind pulp)

·         2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarians)

·         1 & 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)

·         1 teaspoon rice vinegar (optional, to enhance flavor)

·         1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)

For the Noodles:

·         150 grams flat rice noodles (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and drained)

·         2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or peanut oil)

·         2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

·         100 grams shrimp, peeled and deveined (or chicken, tofu, or other ingredients)

·         1 egg Beat until broken up.

·         1 cup bean sprouts

·         ½ cup firm tofu, cut into small cubes (optional, but use the original recipe)

·         ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts

·         2 tablespoons chopped green onions or spring onions

·         ½ cup fresh cilantro, for garnish

·         1 lime, cut into pieces

Instructions

Prepare the sauce 

In a small bowl, combine the tamarind juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and chili powder.

Stir over low heat in a small saucepan for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly.

Add more fish sauce for saltiness

Add more sugar for sweetness

Add more tamarind for sourness

Set aside.

Prepare the noodles and ingredients

Soak the noodles in warm water for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the other ingredients before cooking - Pad Thai cooks quickly!

Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a deep or large wok over medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 10 seconds until fragrant.

Add the shrimp (or your chosen soy protein) and stir-fry until almost cooked (1-2 minutes).

Remove and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil, and then add the drained noodles. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of water to help soften the noodles while stir-frying.

Add the Pad Thai sauce and toss until the noodles are absorbed and slightly glossy.

Add the eggs and stir to combine.

Remove the noodles to one side of the wok.

Add the beaten eggs and stir quickly until half cooked through.

Combine everything together—noodles, eggs, and shrimp.

Add the tofu, bean sprouts, and chopped green onions.

Gently stir-fry for about 30 seconds—do not over-stir the bean sprouts. 

(The bean sprouts should be crisp.)

Remove from heat.

Serve.

Place on a plate.

Garnish with roasted peanuts, fresh coriander, and lime wedges.

Serve with bean sprouts, chili powder, and fish sauce to taste.

Additional condiments:

Ground dried shrimp (original flavor)

Pickled radish (adds a truly authentic Thai flavor)

Chili powder or chili flakes

Add lime wedges

Tips for delicious Pad Thai:

Don't soak the noodles too long—they should be firm before stir-frying, as they will soften during stir-frying.

Use a hot wok for a truly smoky flavor (wok hei).

Make it quick—the Pad Thai is cooked within 5 minutes of the ingredients being added to the wok.

If the noodles are dry, add 1 tablespoon of water or sauce to soften them.