Tamarind paste pairs beautifully with sweet ingredients.
Mix any leftovers into cocktails, make a chutney, or drizzle it on fruit.
Despite pad thais fame and claim to broad authenticity, it hasnt even been around for 100 years.
Photo:Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
Ive questioned the dishs authenticity and impact for as long as I can remember.
Everyone in my family has their own version of pad thai, and this one is my own.
What Is Pad Thai?
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
Pad thai directly translates to stir-fry noodles.
This inherent flexibility means that theres no one way to make or enjoy pad thai, as preferences vary.
That being said, to each pad thai their own.
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
If youre not a fan of shrimp, feel free to substitute it with a protein of your choice.
Similarly, for those with nut allergies, omitting the garnish wont compromise the dish as a whole.
How to Make Pad Thai
The first step to any great pad thai is a great sauce.
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
For me, that sauce consists of a melody of fish sauce, tamarind paste and palm sugar.
After all of your ingredients are ready, its time to stir-fry them all together.
And if you catch issues with ingredients sticking, it could be that your wok isnt heated enough.
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
Lastly, before serving, garnish with lime wedges, chile flakes and crushed peanuts.
(Alternatively, prepare noodles according to package directions.
)Drain well; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toss well so they dont stick.
Meanwhile, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan.
Stir in fish sauce, tamarind paste and paprika.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a flat-bottom wok or large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
Flip and cook until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked, about 30 seconds more.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the shrimp to a clean plate.
Return the pan to medium-high heat; add 2 tablespoons oil and tofu.
Cook, stirring, until the tofu is golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the tofu to the plate with the shrimp.
Wipe the pan clean and add 2 tablespoons oil.
Heat over medium-high heat until just smoking; add shallot, garlic and scallion whites.
Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the noodles; cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
Add the sauce and gently fold to coat the noodles.
Push the noodles to one side of the pan.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty space and add eggs (see Note, below).
Cook, stirring, until just set, about 2 minutes, then toss into the noodles.
Garnish with crushed red pepper and more scallion greens and serve with lime wedges, if desired.
To make ahead
Prepare sauce (Step 2) and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Look for it in Asian food markets or online.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
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Esterik, Penny Van.
In:Materializing Thailand.Routledge Publishing; 2000.
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Cohen, Erik.Tourism and AIDS in Thailand.Annals of Tourism Research.
Oxford English Dictionary.phad thai (n.),
