If you saw my recent Butter Chicken post, then you know I love ethnic foods! Thai and India are two of my ultimate favorites. I shared my go-to Butter Chicken recipe “HERE” and now I’m sharing my Pad Thai recipe.
Pad Thai is extremely easy, but also extremely easy to completely mess up if you forget anything! I remember I had finally perfected my recipe and I couldn’t wait to show it off to my foodie Aunt from Texas. She and my Uncle came through town and stopped for dinner and I was so excited to cook with her and teach her how to make Pad Thai. Well, when we started, I realized I had forgotten to soak the noodles! I tried to warm them in hot water and I paid the price. I ended up having a big clump of gooey mess of noodles and I was so disappointed! So, as you read this recipe be sure to follow each step. This can be a flexible recipe once you learn how to handle the noodles.
Ingredients:
Pad Thai Sauce:
2 oz. palm sugar (these are cute little balls of sugar you can find at the Asian market, and then you cook them in water until they dissolve. I did this once and then got lazy and started using regular palm sugar (white sugar)).
¼ cup fish sauce, yes CUP! Sounds like a lot, but won’t be for all the noodles.
1 Tbsp tamarind concentrate. (again, you can find this at your local Asian market or in a big supermarket you will find on the Asian aisle). This is used in many other Thai recipes, so worth it to get it!
¼ cup siracha (again, the kids aren’t huge fans of a lot of spice, so I use way less than ¼ cup, probably 3 Tbsp or so)
Ingredients for Pad Thai - Rice stick or noodle (found at local Asian market. I prefer the medium size, but you can get whatever you prefer. I’ve never tried using regular pasta noodles, I don’t think it would work).
- 1 Tbsp sliced shallot (if I don’t have shallot from our garden, I use regular onion)
- ¼ cup fresh chives, cut into 1 inch long pieces. (I get these for the husband, but kids don’t like)
- 1 Tbsp chopped salted raddish (I omitted this for years and then finally bought some at the Asian market and tried it. Totally unusual, but gives great flavor. So, if you don’t have it, no biggie!)
- ½ cup protein (You can use firm tofu, or shrimp, or chicken or whatever you want. We usually use chicken, or just no meat. This time for this post we used shrimp)
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp water
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts (again delicious, but kids don’t like so I don’t always have)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp salted peanuts, chopped
- Cilantro and lime slices to garnish.
Instructions:
OK, so to me the hardest part is the Rice stick or noodle. The kind I use says to soak in warm water for 1 hour. Not hot water (that’s what turned them into a big glop with my Aunt and Uncle). Not cold, or they won’t soften. But, warm water. The instructions will be on the package depending on what noodle you purchase.
So, first prepare your noodles. Get them soaking, or whatever the package says. If it says an hour like mine, PLAN AHEAD so you aren’t waiting and starving for an hour at dinner time!
Prepare Pad Thai sauce. You can cook on the stove, but I find it easiest to just mix and keep set aside until I’m ready. Also, the above recipe is probably for a good 2-4 servings depending on how large of a serving you use. For our family of 6, I always double the sauce so the noodles aren’t dry.
- Chop salted radish, rinse in cold water, squeeze out with paper towel and sprinkle sugar on it. Set aside.
- Heat oil in large frying pan. Add shallot (onion) and radish. If using chicken or shrimp or tofu, add now and cook until done. If using shrimp, remove from pan now and set aside so they don’t get beat up. Tofu and chicken can stay!
Add rice noodles and water. Stir fry until noodles soften and absorb water.
Push noodles to the side.
Add a bit of oil and scramble eggs.
Add Pad Thai sauce and stir everything together. If noodles start to get too dry, add a little water or make more sauce.
Add sugar, chives, bean sprouts, and cooked protein (if not already in pan).
Combine for another minute or two.
Serve and garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro and lime slices.
Note: Pad Thai is best served FRESH. Leftovers at our house never taste the same. The noodles absorb any liquid in the pan quickly and then they taste dry. That’s why I double our sauce. So, give it a try and if the noodles seem dry, whip up a bit more sauce!
Good luck and let me know what you think!
Happy Cooking! Janel
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