Pad Thai
Pad Thai, Pailin’s Kitchen
Section titled “Pad Thai, Pailin’s Kitchen”Description
Section titled “Description”The secret to restaurant-quality Pad Thai at home is preparation. By making the sauce in bulk and prepping ingredients in advance, the actual cooking takes under 5 minutes. All quantities below are per serving.
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
Section titled “Ingredients”Sauce (per serving)
Section titled “Sauce (per serving)”| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| tamarind paste | 22–30ml (1½–2 tbsp) |
| palm sugar, finely chopped | ~36g (3 tbsp) |
| fish sauce | 30ml (2 tbsp) |
| water | 22ml (1½ tbsp) |
| shallots and garlic, finely chopped | to taste |
Stir-Fry (per serving)
Section titled “Stir-Fry (per serving)”| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| dry rice noodles (medium width), soaked 1 hour | 85–100g |
| shrimp (or chicken or tofu) | 5–6 pieces |
| pressed tofu, small batons | ~30g (2 tbsp) |
| sweet preserved radish, finely chopped | ~5g (1 tsp) |
| dried shrimp, finely chopped | ~3g (1 tsp) |
| large eggs | x1–2 |
| garlic chives, 1-inch pieces | ~15g (¼ cup) |
| bean sprouts | ~100g (1 generous cup) |
| roasted peanuts, crushed | ~15g (1 tbsp) |
| lime wedge | for serving |
| Items |
|---|
| wok (carbon steel, cast iron, or non-stick) |
| wok spatula |
| small saucepan (for sauce) |
| airtight containers (for prepped levels) |
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Sauce: Heat a little oil in a small saucepan. Sauté the shallots and garlic until translucent. Add palm sugar and let it melt and caramelize slightly. Add the tamarind paste and fish sauce, then simmer until fully dissolved and combined. Cool and store in the fridge — keeps for months.
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Noodles: Soak dry rice noodles in room temperature water for 1 hour until pliable but not mushy. Drain and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Protein: Pre-cook your shrimp or chicken and store separately in the fridge.
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Vegetables & toppings: Chop the garlic chives, crush the peanuts, and cut the tofu into small batons ahead of time.
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Sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add the tofu, dried shrimp, and preserved radish. Stir until hot and fragrant.
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Noodles & sauce: Add the pre-soaked noodles. Pour in your pre-made sauce (~60ml / ¼ cup per serving) and the water.
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Soften noodles: Toss over high heat until the noodles absorb all the liquid and become soft and chewy. Do not cook more than 2 servings at once.
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Egg: Push the noodles to one side of the wok. Add a little oil to the empty space and crack in the egg. Break the yolk, then flip the noodles over the egg. Let sit for 30 seconds to brown, then toss to combine.
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Finish: Turn off the heat. Add the bean sprouts, garlic chives, crushed peanuts, and pre-cooked protein. Toss quickly — the residual heat will wilt the vegetables while keeping them crunchy.
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Serve immediately with fresh bean sprouts, extra peanuts, and a lime wedge.