Pad Thai
Thailand's most famous noodle dish made simple for home cooking. Sweet, sour, and savoury in every bite.
Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 10 minutes. Difficulty: Medium. Serves 2.
Ingredients
- 200g flat rice noodles (pad thai noodles)
- 150g prawns or chicken, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 100g bean sprouts
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
- 2 spring onions, cut into 3cm pieces
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Soak rice noodles in warm water for 15–20 minutes until soft. Drain.
- Mix fish sauce, tamarind paste, sugar, and lime juice in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat.
- Fry garlic for 10 seconds. Add prawns or chicken. Cook until done — about 2 minutes.
- Push to the side. Crack eggs into wok and scramble.
- Add drained noodles. Pour sauce over them. Toss to coat evenly.
- Add bean sprouts and spring onions. Toss for 30 seconds.
- Serve topped with crushed peanuts and lime wedges.
Tips for Helpers
- Do not over-soak the noodles — they should be flexible but not mushy.
- Have everything ready before cooking starts — this is a fast dish.
- Cook in small portions (2 servings at a time) for best results.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Use tofu instead of prawns for a vegetarian version.
- Ketchup plus lime juice can approximate tamarind paste in an emergency.