Pad Thai

Learn the tricks and techniques to nail an authentic, sticky, fresh street-style Pad Thai (all without the use of peanut butter or ketchup)

Ingredients

(serves 2-4)

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • ⅓ yellow onion 

  • 1 bunch green onions

  • ¼ cup dried shrimp

  • ¼ cup peanuts

  • 1 block firm tofu

  • 1/2 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)

  • 1 cake palm sugar (about 4 tbsp.)

  • 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate, paste, or puree

  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce

  • 1 package dry rice noodles. 

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

  • 2 eggs

  • Bean sprouts (for garnish)

  • Lime (for garnish) 

  • Cilantro (for garnish) 

Instructions:

  1. Prep all ingredients:

    • Mince garlic and onion.

    • Chop white parts of green onions.

    • Slice green onion stems.

    • Use mortar and pestle or food processor to grind up dried shrimp and peanuts (separately).

    • Cut tofu into 1” squares.

    • Peel and devein shrimp (if necessary).

  2. Dissolve palm sugar in water over low heat. Add tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, and sweet soy sauce. Mix and set aside.

  3. Soak rice noodles in warm water until bendable but still firm in the middle (around 5-10 minutes), then strain.

  4. Heat ¼ cup oil in a wok on high heat. Fry tofu until golden brown, then remove. Add shrimp and cook until pink, then remove. Crack eggs into the remaining oil, scramble, and set aside.

  5. Discard remaining oil in the wok and quickly clean it.

  6. Heat ¼ cup oil in the wok. Add yellow onion, white parts of green onions, dried shrimp, and some of the green onion stems. Toss for 30 seconds, then add garlic and noodles along with about 1/3 of the sauce. Carefully toss noodles to prevent breakage while caramelizing. Add more sauce as needed, repeating until all sauce is used.  Continue adding water a few tbsp. at a time if necessary until noodles are completely cooked through. 

  7. Once noodles are fully cooked and sauce is absorbed, fold in tofu, shrimp, and peanuts.

  8. Plate the dish and garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, lime, and remaining green onions.