Savor this authentic Pad Thai recipe! Customize with your choice of protein and adjust the spice to your taste.
This incredible Pad Thai recipe is simple to make and ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for a quick yet flavorful meal. The dish begins with fresh, high-quality ingredients such as tender rice noodles, succulent chicken, juicy shrimp, and tofu. It’s then topped with crunchy peanuts, fluffy scrambled eggs, and a mix of crisp vegetables. This recipe’s true star is the homemade Pad Thai sauce, which ties everything together with its bold, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor. Each ingredient is carefully tossed in the pan to create a delightful balance of textures and tastes, resulting in a meal bursting with authentic Thai flair.
Table of Contents
Do bean sprouts get cooked in Pad Thai?
Pour in the canola oil and stir-fry the white parts of the scallions until they start to brown. Add the garlic, bean sprouts, and shredded carrots, stirring frequently, until the bean sprouts soften and the carrots are tender. Drain the rice noodles and add them to the pan and the sauce from the blender.
What goes well with Pad Thai?
Heat the canola oil in a pan and stir-fry the white parts of the scallions until they start to brown. Add the garlic, bean sprouts, and shredded carrots, stirring constantly, until the bean sprouts soften and the carrots are fully cooked. Drain the rice noodles, then add them to the pan and the sauce from the blender.
What is a substitute for tamarind paste in Pad Thai?
Rice vinegar: To substitute for tamarind paste, combine equal parts of rice vinegar or white wine with brown sugar. The vinegar or wine provides acidity and a touch of sweetness, while the brown sugar boosts the sweetness. This mixture can be used as a one-to-one replacement for tamarind paste in any recipe.
What makes Pad Thai taste so good?
The heart of this dish remains unchanged, featuring a combination of rice noodles, eggs, tofu, and dried shrimp as its main ingredients. These components form the foundation of the dish, providing texture and substance. However, the real magic lies in the sauce, which creates a complex and harmonious flavor profile. This essential sauce comprises three primary tastes: the salty richness that comes from either fish sauce or soy sauce, the deep sweetness contributed by palm sugar, and the tangy, slightly sour notes derived from tamarind juice. This delicate balance of flavors gives the dish its unique character, blending savory, sweet, and tart in perfect harmony.
Why is Pad Thai fishy?
Pad Thai and numerous other Thai dishes incorporate fish sauce as a key ingredient. You can usually find fish sauce in the international section of most grocery stores. This pungent, salty sauce is made from fermented fish, and while its smell can be pretty intense, it is an essential element in many Southeast Asian recipes. Despite its potent aroma, fish sauce adds a depth of flavor that brings out the best in these dishes, making them incredibly tasty.
What makes Pad Thai orange?
You might notice that Pad Thai noodles are often a vibrant orange in many restaurants outside Thailand. This bright hue typically comes from using sauces or spices, such as paprika, which are added as substitutes for the traditional tamarind. However, authentic Pad Thai has a more subtle, natural reddish-brown color, which results from the balanced mix of tamarind paste, fish sauce, and other classic ingredients. The use of tamarind not only gives it its signature color but also provides the tangy flavor that makes the dish uniquely Thai.
What is Pad Thai sauce made from?
Pad Thai sauce is a rich blend of flavors that combines fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and tamarind paste. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in building the sauce’s distinct taste, but the tamarind truly sets Pad Thai apart. Tamarind delivers a unique, tangy sourness that gives the dish its signature flavor, balancing the salty, sweet, and umami notes from the other ingredients. This tartness is what makes Pad Thai unmistakably authentic. Tamarind is widely used in Southeast Asian cuisines, adding depth and complexity to multiple dishes, such as the slow-cooked, aromatic Malaysian Beef Rendang. Its versatility and bold flavor make tamarind an irreplaceable element in many traditional recipes.
Ingredients: Pad Thai recipe
- 12 ounces of rice noodles
- Two tablespoons of butter
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil
- Four eggs
- Three tablespoons of granulated sugar
- Two tablespoons of fish sauce
- One tablespoon of white wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 2 cups of bean sprouts
- Three green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup of crushed peanuts
- One lemon, sliced into wedges
Directions
Step 1:
Gather and organize all the ingredients in advance.
Step 2:
Place rice noodles in cold water and soak for 30 to 50 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
Step 3:
While the noodles are soaking, melt butter in a wok over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until golden until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
Step 4:
Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the hot oil and cook until they are set. Return the cooked chicken to the wok and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Step 5:
Add the softened noodles, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and crushed red pepper to the wok. Stir well until the noodles are tender and the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Step 6:
Add bean sprouts to the wok and stir-fry for an additional 3 minutes.
Step 7:
Serve the dish with chopped green onions, crushed peanuts, and a lemon wedge.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Additional Time | Total Time | Servings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | 15 mins | 20 mins | 45 mins | 6 |
In conclusion, Pad Thai is a delicious and flavorful dish that combines a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy elements. With stir-fried noodles, tender proteins, fresh vegetables, and a hint of lime and peanuts, this iconic Thai dish delivers a satisfying meal that’s both comforting and exciting. Ideal for any occasion, Pad Thai is a crowd-pleaser and a favorite for anyone craving authentic Thai flavors.