Refreshing Pad Thai with Shrimp

Pad Thai with shrimp is the noodle dish that defined Thai street food for the rest of the world. The trick to a good one is balance, sweet from sugar, sour from tamarind, salty from fish sauce, and a savory backbone from the shrimp and pickled radish. Get those four in tune and the dish sings.

Soaking the rice noodles in cold water instead of boiling them is the move that separates a real Pad Thai from the gummy versions. Twenty minutes in cold water leaves them springy, and they finish cooking in the wok where they soak up sauce instead of water.

Work in batches when adding noodles to the hot wok, and chop at them with the spatula like you mean it. Clumping is the enemy. The egg goes in raw, gets tossed through, and cooks against the hot pan in golden ribbons that wrap the noodles.

Finish with bean sprouts, scallions, and chopped peanuts off the heat so they keep their crunch.

Chef Tips

• If you can find real tamarind paste, use it. The tomato sauce substitute works in a pinch but lacks the puckering sourness that defines Pad Thai.
• Have everything chopped, measured, and within reach before the wok hits the burner. This dish moves fast.
• Don’t crowd the wok with too many noodles at once, they’ll steam instead of fry and turn mushy.
• A squeeze of fresh lime at the table brightens the whole plate.

Variations

• Swap shrimp for cubed tofu and skip the fish sauce for a vegetarian version, use soy sauce instead.
• Add a teaspoon of crushed dried chili flakes to the sauce for the spicy version sold by night market vendors.
• Use chicken thigh strips in place of shrimp for a heartier version.