Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served as a street food and at casual restaurants in Thailand. It is made with rice noodles, shrimp, chicken, or tofu, peanuts, a scrambled egg, and bean sprouts. The ingredients are stir-fried in a wok with a sweet and savory sauce made with fish sauce, tamarind paste, palm sugar, and chili pepper.

Pad Thai is a relatively new dish, having been invented in the mid-20th century. It is believed to have been created by the Prime Minister of Thailand at the time, as a way to promote Thai cuisine and culture. He encouraged the use of rice noodles instead of wheat noodles, which were more expensive and imported. He also encouraged the use of local ingredients, such as shrimp, chicken, tofu, and peanuts.

Pad Thai quickly became popular throughout Thailand and is now one of the country’s most iconic dishes. It is also incredibly popular around the world, and can be found at Thai restaurants in many countries

Pad Thai- Authentic Thai Noodles

Pad Thai is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. It is a great way to use up leftover protein and vegetables, and it is also a good source of carbohydrates and protein. It is a relatively inexpensive and easy dish to make, and it can be customized to suit individual tastes.

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Pin

Course: Lunch, Main Course, Street Food

Cuisine: Southeast Asian, Thailand

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Soaking noodles: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Large pot
Colander
Strainer
Wok or large skillet

Ingredients

12 oz Dried thin rice noodles
1 cup Fresh bean sprouts
⅓ cup Vegetable oil
2 tbsp Garlic, minced
5 tbsp Shallot, minced
2 tsp Shrimp paste (Sub: fish sauce)
4 tbsp Asian fish sauce
1 tbsp Dried shrimp, chopped (optional)
12 medium Shrimp, peeled
1½ tbsp Rice vinegar (Sub: white vinegar)
3 tbsp Light brown sugar or palm sugar
3 tbsp Ketchup
1 tsp Chili powder (optional)
2 large Eggs, lightly beaten

Garnishes

½ cup Coarsely ground unsalted peanuts
2 stalks Scallion, finely sliced
2 tbsp Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 medium Limes, cut into wedges
1 medium Cucumber, sliced

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Place noodles in a large bowl and soak in very hot tap water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Bring saucepan filled with water to a boil. Blanch bean sprouts in boiling water for 30 seconds. Scoop out with strainer, refresh under cold water and set aside in the strainer.
Heat oil and stir-fry garlic and shallots until lightly golden but not burnt. Add shrimp paste and dried shrimp. Stir. Add shrimp to quickly cook through. Stir in the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and chili powder. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add eggs and let them set slightly before stirring to scramble. Add noodles and toss for 2 minutes.
Transfer Pad Thai to a platter and sprinkle with peanuts, chili flakes, scallion, and cilantro. Place bean sprouts on one side and arrange lime wedges and cucumber slices around the platter.