Shrimp Pad Thai
Rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp, egg and a tangy tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar sauce, topped with bean sprouts, peanuts, green onions and lime. Serves 4.
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Pad thai is Thailand's most famous noodle dish: chewy rice noodles in a sweet, sour and salty tamarind sauce with shrimp and egg, finished with crunchy peanuts and fresh bean sprouts.
It cooks in minutes, so have everything ready before you start.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown or palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
Noodles
- 8 ounces flat rice noodles (1/4 inch wide)
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 4 green onions, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- Lime wedges and cilantro
Instructions
- Soak the noodles. Soak the noodles in hot tap water 20 to 30 minutes until pliable but firm. Drain.
- Mix the sauce. Stir the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
- Shrimp. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat and cook the shrimp 2 minutes. Remove.
- Egg and noodles. Add the remaining oil and garlic, then the eggs, scrambling briefly. Add the noodles and sauce and toss 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are tender and the sauce absorbed.
- Finish. Return the shrimp, add half the bean sprouts and the green onions and toss 30 seconds. Serve topped with the remaining sprouts, peanuts, cilantro and lime.
Tips
- Do not oversoak the noodles; they finish cooking in the wok.
- Tamarind concentrate is sold in Asian markets and many supermarkets.
Questions about this recipe
- What gives pad thai its flavor?
- Tamarind for sourness, fish sauce for salt and palm sugar for sweetness.
- Can I use chicken?
- Yes; slice thinly and cook through before adding the noodles.
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