How to do Pad Thai: The most famous Thai kitchen dish

Good morning, good afternoon, good night or whenever they are reading this post! In today's chapter we bring you a classic of Thai food: Pad Thai , one of the tan dishes of Thai kitchen. Did they ever try it?

Although Pad Thai's recipe sounds super exotic, it has ingredients that we can find in any market. Perhaps there are some more specific, but that we can even replace with simpler options , so stay reading that we are going to tell you all those details.

Today we are going to see how to make Pad Thai original , this iconic delicious delicacy of the Southeast Asian food, which combines the sweet, the acid, the salty and even a touch of spicy.

About Pad Thai

Pad Thai is not any dish, it is "the" most famous dish of Thai cuisine . Just as Paella represents Spain, or the roast to Argentina. But it is not necessary to travel to the other side of the world to try it, because with this recipe of Pad Thai it can be done at home very easily.

Actually, Pad Thai's full name is: Kuey Thiaw Pad Thai . "Kuey Thiaw" refers to rice noodles that are used for recipe ( rice noodles ). "Pad" means sauteed, and "Thai" obvious, Thai. So strictly speaking, Kuey Thiaw Pad Thai means " sauteed by Thai style rice noodles ."

This dish combines sauteed rice noodles with a perfect mixture of ingredients ranging from shrimp (or shrimp), tofu, soy buds, and even roasted peanuts .

All bathed in a Pad Thai sauce that is a mixture of sweet, acid and salty flavors, product of fish sauce and tamarind sauce , which we are already going to tell you how it is prepared.

How to replace some ingredients from Pad Thai

Soy sauce we get in any supermarket, but some ingredients can be a bit more difficult to find:

• Tamarind paste : This paste is made with the fruit of the tamarind tree and provides a bittersweet taste. It can be replaced by 1 dry tomato and 1 dry plum hydrated in hot water and then processed.
• Fish sauce : This sauce is typical of Thai kitchen, but if they cannot get it, it can be replaced by 1 cup of soy sauce with 1 anchovy (can), all liquefied.
• Rice noodles (Noodles) : The ideal is that the Thai noodles are flat, rice flour (such as those of Chow Mein ), thick or fine, that is comfortable. But if there are no you can use wheat flour noodles , or those in the cupboard.

Essential characteristics of the Pad Thai recipe

• Fusion of flavors: sweet, acid, salty and spicy. Each bite is a perfect balance .
• Rice noodles: The base of this Pad Thai recipe are flat noodles that absorb all flavors without getting rid.
• Mix of textures: shrimp or shrimp, tofu, soy shoots, and peanuts are essential.
• Hot wok: Everything is cooked quickly and high fire to give that smoked touch. If there is no wok, it can be done quietly in a pan.
• Pad Thai sauce: The key of the plate; A mixture of tamarind, fish sauce, and sugar .
• Crispy touch: peanuts and fresh shoots give you a crispy texture at the end.
• Versatile options: Although the original Thai Pad carries prawns, it can be done with chicken, tofu, or even only vegetables .

How to make Pad Thai

Preparing Pad Thai is not complicated, but you have to respect some steps. This Thai recipe has more prior preparation than the cooking process itself. First the vegetables are cut, and the tofu , the noodles are hydrated and the shrimp, or prawns that we are going to use are prepared.

In addition, we must have the tamarind sauce and fish sauce to mix and achieve the Pad Thai sauce, which will provide that characteristic flavor to the dish and will help hydration , but that is just added at the end.

Once all the ingredients are sauteed, rice noodles are incorporated and integrated with the rest of the flavors. is saute and the sauce is added so that everything is well impregnated. The final touch with the roasted peanuts and the soy shoots gives him the crispy to finish off this super complete dish .

6 tips not to fail in Pad Thai's recipe 

1. Hydrate the noodles well: to submerge them in water about 15/20 minutes before using them.
2. The hot wok or pan: it is key to achieve that smoked flavor and for the ingredients to cook well.
3. Prepare everything before cooking: This dish is very fast , so it is best to have everything ready and chopped before cooking.
4. Do not overload the wok or pan: it can be cooked in batches , if necessary. Ideally, use a deep pan or wok.
5. Salsa at the end: Salsa guarantees that noodles absorb all taste .
6. Try and adjust (eye with salt): Each fish sauce mark is different. It is best not to add salt, or try before adding .

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Pad Thai recipe

Yield: 2 portions

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for Pad Thai recipe

• 125 g of rice noodles
• 8 prawns or 1 chicken breast 
• 1 onion (green onion)
• ¼ of purple onion
• 75 g of hard tofu
• 2 eggs 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. of sugar (palm sugar or the one they get)
• 2 tbsp. of fish sauce (see replacement above)
• 2 tbsp. of tamarind sauce (see replacement above)
• 100 g of soy shoots
• 25 g of roasted peanut
• 1/2 Lima (or lemon)
• 2 teaspoons of ground chili, chili or spicy dust of choice
• Neutral oil (sunflower or peanuts)

How to do original Thai step by step

1. Dissolve the tamarind paste in boiling water, wait a few minutes and disassemble with the hand until a paste is formed. 
2. Chop the white part of the scallion (reserve the green part), purple onion and garlic cloves.
3. Hydrate the noodles in water for 15/20 minutes and cut the tofu into squares. Reserve.
4. Heat a large wok or pan with a little oil. Incorporate the purple onion, the white part of the onion and garlic. Save a little and add the tofu, brown it in the pan along with the onions and garlic.
5. Add the prawns or chicken and cook until the prawns become pink or the chicken is completely cooked. If the prawns are precooked, just heat them briefly. 
6. Then in the same Wok add a spoonful of sugar (the one they have), the fish sauce and the tamarind sauce. Integrate everything by stirring the wok.
7. Incorporate hydrated noodles and revolve softly to integrate the rest of the ingredients. In this step add the Chile or ground pepper, for the spicy touch. If necessary, add more fish sauce or soy sauce. 
8. In the same wok or pan incorporate the eggs. Stir until they are cooked and mix with the rest of the flavors. 
9. Incorporate soy buds and mix everything. They have to be crispy. 
10. In the dish sprinkle with roasted peanuts and the green part of the onion. At the side of the plate, serve a teaspoon of sugar, a spicy, one of roasted peanuts and 1 piece of lime or lemon. A party!