25 min
Pad Thai
Recipe GLPRd39c79d3a9f63b
Authentic Thai stir-fried noodle dish with tamarind, fish sauce, and lime. This quick, balanced meal features tender rice noodles tossed with optional shrimp, scrambled egg, tofu, and crispy peanuts in a sweet-tangy sauce. Garnished with fresh bean sprouts and aromatic garlic chives.
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Ingredients
5 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
2 tablespoons pressed tofu, cut into ⅛-inch slices
1 tablespoon sweet preserved shredded radish, rinsed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
5 tablespoons tamarind water (or 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon tamarind paste mixed with 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water)
1½ tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla), or more to taste
1½ tablespoons simple syrup, preferably made with palm sugar
4 garlic chives, divided (2 cut into 1-inch pieces, 2 whole for garnish)
½ teaspoon ground dried Thai chiles, divided
2 tablespoons crushed roasted unsalted peanuts, divided
2 lime wedges
Directions
Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and pour hot water over them until fully submerged. Allow them to soak until tender but still with a slight firmness, about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander and set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Crack the egg directly into the pan and stir gently until the egg is just set but still slightly soft, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp, if using, and cook while stirring constantly until both the shrimp and egg are nearly cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. The shrimp should turn pink and firm.
Add the pressed tofu slices and preserved radish pieces to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds to warm through and incorporate the flavors.
Add the drained noodles to the pan and toss everything together, cooking for 1 minute to lightly char the noodles and blend the ingredients.
Stir in the fresh bean sprouts, then pour in the tamarind water, fish sauce, and simple syrup. Toss constantly for about 1 minute until the sauce coats the noodles evenly and is mostly absorbed, creating a moist but not wet dish.
Mix in the chopped garlic chives (the 1-inch pieces), then add ¼ teaspoon of the ground dried chiles and 1 tablespoon of the crushed peanuts. Toss well to combine and divide between serving plates.
Garnish each plate with the remaining ¼ teaspoon ground chiles, 1 tablespoon crushed peanuts, the whole garlic chives, and lime wedges. Serve immediately and squeeze lime juice over the noodles before eating.
