May 27, 2024

It's the quintessential traditional Thai dish. Both sweet and savory, soft and crispy, simple yet indulgent… I'm talking about Pad Thai! To transport your taste buds straight to Thailand, we're inviting you to discover the authentic Pad Thai recipe. Grab your chopsticks!

What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a savory dish made of stir-fried noodles combined with tofu, garlic, scallions, chives, shrimp, various meats and eggs. These ingredients are carefully cooked in a richly flavored sauce that includes 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

Pad Thai's story as a national dish truly begins in the 1930s, following the fall of the monarchy and the rise to power of Field Marshal Pibun. 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, making 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 cooking. Since then, Pad Thai has gradually replaced traditional curry and rice-based dishes. Today, it has become a symbol of Thai cuisine internationally.

Making Perfect Pad Thai for 4 People

The Ingredients

● 400 g of rice noodles (called sen lek)

● About fifteen shrimp (omit for vegetarians)

● 150 g boneless chicken breast / or tofu for vegetarians

● 4 scallions (green onions)

● 2 shallots

● 3 garlic cloves

● 2 eggs

● 250 g of bean sprouts

● 2 fresh red chilies

● 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

● 1 teaspoon of ginger

● 1 teaspoon of chili sauce

● A handful of peanuts or sesame seeds

● Vegetable oil

● Fresh coriander

● Asian chives

● 1 lime

● Salt and ground pepper

● Chili powder (for serving)

For the Sauce

● 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (called nuoc mam)

● 2 tablespoons of palm sugar (or brown sugar)

● 4 tablespoons of tamarind sauce or tamarind paste

● 1 tablespoon of soy sauce

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

How to Make Pad Thai?

Preparing the Noodles

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add the rice noodles. Let them soak for 3 to 4 minutes before removing and rinsing them under cold water. The noodles should soften but remain slightly firm since they'll be stir-fried later. In other words, you want them al dente. This is the key to successful cooking!

Preparing the Sauce

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces and reserve in a tablespoon of soy sauce.
2. Now prepare the Pad Thai sauce. Mix together in a bowl the tamarind, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, soy sauce (1 tablespoon), a pinch of salt and ground pepper. Set aside.

Cooking

1. Toast the peanuts before crushing them. Meanwhile, cut and mince the scallions (keep the green parts for serving), shallots, garlic and chilies.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok, ideally, or in a large pan 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 the ingredients to the side of the wok and crack the eggs in the middle. Scramble quickly as you would for a fried egg.

Finishing and Topping

1. It's time to retrieve the noodles and add them to the middle of the wok. Add one-third of the prepared sauce. Stir-fry everything over medium-high heat. Add more sauce gradually and repeat as the noodles absorb it (about 5 to 8 minutes). Once the noodles become sticky, turn off the heat.
2. All that's left is to add the bean sprouts, peanuts, green parts of the scallions, coriander and Asian chives.
3. Serve with a lime wedge, chili powder and chili sauce on the side.

A 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: to successfully cook pad Thai, it's better to cook a portion for two people at a time.

Audrey Denjean

Audrey DENJEAN

SEO copywriter, Audrey Denjean puts her writing at the service of English-speaking travelers. Through her blog articles, she explores what makes a country's soul – its iconic sites, its cuisine, its traditions, its history... Her goal? To convey far more than tourist information, but to describe an atmosphere, share anecdotes that make each country unique and inspire, after each read, the desire to explore the world.