Pad Thai (or, stir-fried rice noodles) with Prawns Recipe

Preparation: 15 minutes (not including noodle soaking time)

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Dried rice noodles 250 g

Fish sauce

3 tbsp Palm sugar

3 tbsp Lime juice

1 tbsp Tamarind puree

2 tbsp Cooking oil

3 tbsp Finely chopped shallot

2 tbsp Finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp Finely chopped sweet pickled radish*

2 tbsp Dried shrimp

½ cup Fresh firm tofu (50 g) cut into 1-cm cubes

Prawns 300 g peeled and deveined, tails intact

Hot water (for soaking the noodles and adding to the noodles while cooking)

Been sprouts 1 cup (plus ½ cup for serving)

Chinese chives 20 g cut into 1 ½ inches (option: spring onion)

Unsalted roasted peanut (30 g) crushed

2 Eggs

For garnish:

1- 1 ½ tbsp Dried Chili flakes

1- 1 ½ tbsp Lime wedges and Chinese chives, or spring onion, for garnish

1 tbsp White granulated sugar

Note: For a Vegetarian Pad Thai - simply leave out the dried shrimp and substitute prawns with additional tofu and more garnish

To serve: Add the Pad Thai to individual plates. Garnish with a wedge of lime, a stalk of chive and last but not least, 1-tsp white sugar and 1-tsp of dried chili flakes.

Lessons Learned:

Use a wide pan, or skillet. preferably with a nonstick surface.

Select a flat rice noodle about 5 mm wide.

Soak the noodles prior to making the pad thai - do not boil them or you may risk the noddles sticking together in one big lump.

 

How to make a Perfect Pad Thai from Scratch | Family Recipe #1

 

Pad Thai with Prawns

 

Pad Thai is one of the most famous and loved Thai Foods worldwide and there are many versions and recipes available online - some authentic, some not so much. Word of Thai Food only presents our family recipes that have been passed down through generations, and this Pad Thai is one of our all time family favorites. We believe that our take on the Pad Thai represents Thai home cooking at its best.

 

Pad Thai originates from the central part of Thailand, but this stir-fried noodle dish and other classic Thai cuisine can be found across the country from the North to the South with only minor local adjustments. World of Thai Food are based in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province in the south of Thailand, and here Pad Thai can be found along side typical southern dishes in night markets and on family dinner tables alike.

 

We often make this dish when we find cheap prawns in the fresh market, but it works just as well with the frozen shrimp or prawns that can be found in supermarkets across the world.

 

As you can see we only add water to help the frying process unlike many recipes that call for chicken stock. When combining these wonderful ingredients in the right sequence and temperature they will come together in the most authentic way possible, so there is no need to add any flavor enhancements from stock. Cook clean and save your wallet & your health.

 

For a Vegetarian Pad Thai - simply leave out the dried shrimp and substitute prawns with additional tofu and more garnish.

 

 

Pad Thai

 

Preparation: 15 minutes (not including noodle soaking time)

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Serves: 3-4

 

Dried rice noodles     250 g

Vegetable oil              

Fish sauce                  3 tbsp

Palm sugar                 3 tbsp

Lime juice                  1 tbsp

Tamarind puree        2 tbsp

Cooking oil                 3 tbsp

Finely chopped shallot                      2 tbsp

Finely chopped garlic                       1 tbsp

Finely chopped sweet pickled radish*        2 tbsp

Dried shrimp             ½  cup

Fresh firm tofu          50 g     cut into 1-cm cubes

Prawns                       300 g  peeled and deveined, tails intact

Hot water (for soaking the noodles and adding to the noodles while cooking)

Been sprouts              1 cup (plus ½ cup for serving)

Chinese chives           20 g     cut into 1 ½ inches (option: spring onion)

Unsalted roasted peanut      30 g     crushed

Egg                              2

Dried Chili flakes       1- 1 ½ tbsp.

Lime wedges and Chinese chives, or spring onion, for garnish

White granulated sugar        1 tbsp

 

*          A constant challenge when cooking Thai food in Europe, the US and other parts of the world is finding some of the key ingredients. In this recipe that challenge would be the “sweet pickled radish”, which is actually a turnip that also goes by the names “preserved radish”, or “pickled turnip”. Confusing, yes indeed.

Start by soaking the noodles in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes or as per cooking instructions on the package. Drain and set aside when the noodles are soft.

While soaking the noodles, proceed to make the original Pad Thai sauce by mixing fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar and the tamarind puree in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat up a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Start by adding the cooking oil in the hot pan, immediately followed by garlic, shallots and sweet fermented radish. Sauté for 1-minute and you will smell the fragrance of the garlic and onions.

Then add the dried shrimp and stir for 1-minute before adding the tofu. Give the tofu about 1-minute and remember to make a little bit of room in the pan for it to get slightly seared.  Next, add the prawns and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the prawns turn reddish pink. Make room for the noodles by pushing the contents of the pan to one side.

Put the noodles in a strainer and shake off excess water before adding it in the wok. Stir fry for 1-minute in the same pan as the above ingredients but do not mix it with the other ingredients yet. If the noodles stick to the pan you can add a tablespoon of warm water. Add the Pad Thai sauce and stir-fry the noodles and sauce for 2 minutes or until the noodles are cooked and the sauce has dried up slightly. Remember to occasionally turn over the other ingredients in the pan to make sure they do not burn. When the noodles are ready mix everything together in the pan, then again, push all the contents of the pan to one side to make room for frying the eggs.

Lower the heat. Make sure you have pushed the ingredients to the side of the pan before cracking 2 eggs into the empty part of the pan. Do not (!) add the eggs to the noodles at this stage. Pull, lift and fold the eggs until thickened and only a little liquid egg remains before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients in the pan. Stir well.

In the final step, add beansprouts, chives (or spring onions), ground peanuts and dried chili flakes. Stir and turn it well.

To serve: Add the Pad Thai to individual plates. Garnish with a wedge of lime, a stalk of chive and last but not least, 1-tsp white sugar and 1-tsp of dried chili flakes.