Authentic Pad Thai
Authentic Pad Thai is a beloved Thai stir-fry dish with a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors. This dish features rice noodles, shrimp (or chicken), tofu, peanuts, and a tangy tamarind sauce. A must-try recipe for any Thai food lover!
Equipment
- Wok
- Mixing Bowl
- Stovetop
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce optional for extra saltiness
For the Pad Thai
- 200 g rice noodles preferably flat and wide
- 200 g shrimp peeled and deveined, or use chicken or tofu for a vegetarian option
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup tofu firm, cubed
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup peanuts crushed
- 1 tbsp lime juice for garnish
- 1 tbsp chili flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp (or tofu), and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp turns pink and opaque. Remove from the wok and set aside.
- In the same wok, add the cubed tofu and cook for 1-2 minutes. Push to one side of the wok.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the wok and scramble them, mixing them into the tofu when cooked.
- Add the cooked rice noodles to the wok and pour the prepared sauce over them. Toss everything together, ensuring the noodles are well coated.
- Add the cooked shrimp (or chicken) and mix well. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Transfer to serving plates and garnish with chopped green onions, crushed peanuts, lime juice, and chili flakes.
Notes
Feel free to adjust the level of spice with the chili flakes or add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter Pad Thai. Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade authentic Pad Thai!