Paht Thai
Submitted by hawaiiangel82
Pad Thai the authentic way: softened rice noodles wok-tossed with garlic, shrimp, egg, fish sauce, peanuts, bean sprouts, and green onions, finished with a squeeze of lime. Street-food speed in under 15 minutes.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minReal Pad Thai from a Thai street-food perspective, not the ketchup-laden restaurant version you often see in North America. The dish comes together in under 15 minutes, but that speed demands mise en place. Every ingredient needs to be ready beside the wok because once the heat is on, there’s no pausing to chop.
Soaking the rice noodles in warm (not boiling) water keeps them pliable but raw, letting the wok finish cooking them in the final stir-fry. Boiled noodles turn gummy and break apart when stir-fried.
The shrimp and egg both cook fast and come out before the noodles hit the pan, then get folded back in at the end. The sequencing matters because crowding a wok with everything at once drops the temperature and you end up with stew instead of a proper stir-fry.
Chef Tips
- Use fish sauce, not soy sauce. Fish sauce is the flavor foundation of real Pad Thai, and soy sauce is not a substitute.
- Soak noodles in warm water only. Hot or boiling water pre-cooks them into mushy strands that fall apart in the wok.
- Work in single-portion batches. A wok can’t generate enough heat for two servings at once.
- Squeeze fresh lime at the very end, tableside. Lime juice added during cooking cooks off and loses brightness.
Variations
- Swap shrimp for thin strips of chicken, pressed tofu, or crispy sliced pork belly.
- Add Thai tamarind paste to the sauce for a more traditional sweet-sour depth.
- Top with crushed dried chilies or a splash of sriracha for those who like their Pad Thai hotter.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak rice noodles in warm water to cover for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare all the remaining ingredients and place them next to the stove, along with a small serving platter.
When the noodles are very limp and white, drain and measure out 2½ cups.
Set these by the stove as well.
Heat a wok or large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat the surface.
When the oil is very hot, drop a piece of the garlic into the pan.
If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
Add the garlic and toss until golden, about 30 seconds.
Add the shrimp and toss until they turn pink and are opaque, no more than 1 minute.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the egg to the pan and tilt the pan to spread it into a thin sheet.
As soon as it begins to set and is opaque, scramble it to break it into small lumps.
Remove from the pan and set aside with the shrimp.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, heat for 30 seconds, and add the softened noodles.
Using a spatula, spread and pull the noodles into a thin layer covering the surface of the pan.
Then scrape them into a clump again and gently turn them over.
Hook loops of noodles with the edge of the spatula and pull them up the sides, spreading them out into a layer again.
Repeat this process several times as the stiff, white noodles soften and curl into ivory ringlets.
Add the fish sauce and turn the noodles so they are evenly seasoned.
Add the sugar and peanuts, turning the noodles a few more times.
Reserving a small handful for garnish, add the bean sprouts, along with the green onions and shrimp-egg mixture.
Cook for 1 minute, turning often.
Transfer the noodles to the serving platter and squeeze the juice of 2 lime wedges over the top.
Garnish with remaining bean sprouts and lime wedges and serve at once.
Serves 1 as a main course, 2 as an appetizer.
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