What is Pad Thai?
Pad Thai is a popular Thai dish made with stir-fried noodles, bean sprouts, and your choice of protein, such as chicken, beef, or shrimp.
It is typically seasoned with tamarind paste, fish sauce and palm sugar.
It is served with bean sprouts and garnished with crushed peanuts, and lime wedges.
It is often served as a street food in Thailand and has become a popular dish worldwide.
Ingredients
- 200g chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 100g rice noodles
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 eggs, scrambled
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- 4 tbsp tamarind paste
- Lime wedges, fresh bean sprouts, chili flakes, chopped scallions, roasted peanuts, for garnish
What are the Steps to Making Pad Thai?
- Marinate the chicken pieces. This ensures the chicken meat is filled with flavour.
- Cook the noodles per package instructions. Slightly undercook them since we will finish it off in the wok.
- Make the sauce by combining the fish sauce, sugar and tamarind paste. If you have time, you can caramelise the sugar first before adding the tamarind paste and fish sauce.
- Shallow fry the chicken pieces, then set aside.
- Stir fry the shallots and garlic.
- Add the noodles and the sauce, then stir fry until blended.
- Add the scrambled egg and stir fry with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the chicken, and give a toss.
- Turn off the heat, then add in the bean sprouts, green onions and roasted peanuts.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
What are the Top Tips and Tricks to Make the Perfect Pad Thai?
- Marinade the chicken pieces for at least 30 minutes so that the flavour goes throughout the meat.
- If you have time, caramelize the brown sugar first to add more depth of flavour. Finish it off with a splash of water, tamarind paste, then finally the fish sauce.
- When shallow frying the chicken pieces, try not to overcrowd the pan to get a bit of searing on the sides. This brings more flavour to the dish.
- Be sure not to overcook the rice noodles as you will finish it off in the wok with the rest of the ingredients.
- When using beansprouts, only add them towards the end, when the heat is already off. Beansprouts contain a lot of moisture and can lead to watery dish if it is cooked for too long.
- Garnish with roasted peanuts for a crunchy texture.
What are the Ingredient Substitutes for Pad Thai?
- We're using light brown sugar instead of the cane sugar which is traditionally used for this dish. Use cane sugar if you have access to it.
- If you don't have tamarind paste, other recipes have substituted rice vinegar. Be sure to taste the sauce before using. It should have a strong sweet, salty and sour flavour.
- If you don't have lime, use lemon instead.
- Fish Sauce can be substituted with soy sauce or tamari can be used as alternatives, though they will slightly alter the taste.
- If you don't want to use chicken, use tofu, beef or shrimp instead.
- We're using green onions instead of the traditional garlic chives. If you have access to garlic chives, use these instead!
Perfect Pairings
Pad Thai Chicken pairs beautifully with a fresh Thai salad or a serving of Thai spring rolls.
Complement the meal with a cold Thai iced tea for a refreshing finish.
Nutritional Information
Per serving of around 250 grams, this dish contains:
- Calories: 682
- Carbohydrate Content: 85g
- Cholesterol Content: 110mg
- Fat Content: 20g
- Protein Content: 30g
- Saturated Fat Content: 4g
- Sodium Content: 950mg
- Sugar Content: 15g
- Trans Fat Content: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat Content: 10g
FAQ
Why is my Pad Thai Chicken not as flavorful as restaurant versions?
Ensure you're using authentic ingredients, especially the tamarind paste and fish sauce. The quality and origin of these ingredients play a significant role in the dish's flavor.
Can I use other meats for this recipe?
Absolutely! You can substitute chicken with shrimp, beef, or tofu. Just ensure you adjust the cooking times accordingly.
How can I store leftover Pad Thai?
Pad Thai is best enjoyed fresh. However, if you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container and consume within a day for the best taste.