It's the quintessential Thai traditional dish. At once sweet and savory, soft and crispy, simple and indulgent… I give you Pad Thaï! To transport your taste buds straight to Thailand, we invite you to discover the authentic Pad Thaï recipe. Chopsticks at the ready!

What is Pad Thaï?

Pad Thaï is a flavorful dish made of stir-fried noodles to which are added tofu, garlic, scallions, chives, shrimp, various meats, and eggs. These ingredients are carefully cooked in a rich sauce comprising Thai fish sauce, tamarind vinegar, and more. To finish, the dish is generously sprinkled with crushed roasted peanuts and drizzled with a squeeze of lime juice. This gives it a final crispy and refreshing touch.

Its origins

The story of Pad Thaï as Thailand's national dish truly began in the 1930s, following the fall of the monarchy and the rise to power of Marshal Phibun. In response to a severe economic crisis and rice shortages, the government encouraged the population to eat rice noodles to limit white rice consumption. This policy proved highly effective and made rice noodles a fundamental ingredient in Thai cuisine.

This shift was part of a broader effort to strengthen Thailand's cultural identity and promote its independence. Several reforms were launched and even touched traditional cuisine. Since then, Pad Thaï has gradually replaced traditional curry and rice dishes. Today, it has become a symbol of Thai cuisine worldwide.

Preparing Pad Thaï for 4 people

The ingredients

● 400 g of rice noodles (called sen lek)

● Around fifteen shrimp (omit for vegetarians)

● 150 g boneless chicken breast / or tofu for vegetarians

● 4 scallions (green onions)

● 2 shallots

● 3 cloves garlic

● 2 eggs

● 250 g bean sprouts

● 2 fresh red chilies

● 1 tablespoon brown sugar

● 1 teaspoon ginger

● 1 teaspoon chili sauce

● A handful of peanuts or sesame seeds

● Vegetable oil

● Fresh cilantro

● Asian chives

● 1 lime

● Salt and ground pepper

● Chili powder (for serving)

For the sauce

● 2 tablespoons fish sauce (called nuoc mam)

● 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)

● 4 tablespoons tamarind sauce or tamarind paste

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

How to make Pad Thaï?

Preparing the noodles

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat and add the rice noodles. Let them soak for 3 to 4 minutes before removing and rinsing with cold water. The noodles should soften but remain slightly firm as they will be fried afterward. In other words, you should remove them while still 'al dente'. This is the key to successful cooking!

Preparing the sauce

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces and reserve them in a tablespoon of soy sauce.

2. Now for the Pad Thaï sauce preparation. Mix together in a bowl the tamarind, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, soy sauce (1 tbsp), a pinch of salt and ground pepper. Set aside.

Cooking

1. Toast the peanuts before crushing them. Meanwhile, cut and slice the scallions (keep the green parts for serving), shallots, garlic, and chilies.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok if possible, or in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of the scallions, shallots, garlic, ginger, and chili. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 2 minutes until opaque. Then do the same with the shrimp until they turn pink (about 2 minutes as well).

4. Push all ingredients to the side of the wok to crack the eggs in the center. Scramble quickly as you would for scrambled eggs.

Finishing and garnish

1. Time to retrieve the noodles and place them in the center of the wok. Add the previously prepared sauce in thirds. Stir-fry over medium-high heat. Add more sauce as needed and repeat as the noodles absorb it (about 5 to 8 minutes). Once the noodles become sticky, remove from heat.

2. All that's left is to add the bean sprouts, peanuts, green parts of the scallions, cilantro, and Asian chives.

3. Serve with a wedge of lime, chili powder, and chili sauce on the side.

Note for vegetarians

You can swap the chicken and shrimp for tofu and vegetables while omitting the fish sauce. The result will be no less delicious!

Our tip: for successful pad thaï cooking, it's best to cook a portion for two people at a time.

Images restored from source site — reposition manually if needed.