How to Make Pad Thai – Quick and Easy Recipe

If you go to Thailand, you’ll find Pad Thai sold practically everywhere — on the streets and in restaurants. The classic dish is made from rice noodles, stir-fried eggs, tofu, shrimp, bean sprouts and roasted peanuts for a little crunch. It’s sauteed in a savory sauce, giving it the perfect balance between salty and sweet.

Although it’s a popular dish in Thailand, its origins aren’t completely from Thailand. Pad Thai’s original name is “Kway Teow Pad Thai.” “Kway Teow” is Chinese for “rice noodles.”

The dish became popular in Thailand during the 1930s and 1940s because the government tried enforcing its people to eat more noodles instead of rice since it was cheaper and more filling. The mixture of vegetables and bean sprouts also provided more protein and helped improve national health.

It quickly became one of Thailand’s fast foods, being sold in every corner. 

Pad Thai is the perfect easy and quick meal to make. Although you can stick to its traditional ingredients, it’s easy to substitute some ingredients to satisfy preference.

How to Make Pad Thai: 

Ingredients:

–          Thai rice noodles, 8 ounces

–          Tofu, 8 ounces

–          Shrimp, 8 ounces

–          2 eggs

–          1 bag of fresh bean sprouts

–          1 red bell pepper

–          3 green onions

–          3 garlic cloves

–          2 limes

–          Oil or cooking spray 

–          ½ cup of cilantro

Tofu or shrimp can be replaced for chicken. We did not include roasted peanuts, but we recommend including for a more traditional taste. (1/2 cup of roasted peanuts)

Sauce Ingredients:

–          Fish sauce, 3 tablespoons

–          Low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon

–          Brown sugar, 5 tablespoons

–          Rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons

–          Sriracha hot sauce, 1 tablespoon

–          Creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons

Preparation Instructions:

1.       Cook noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water.
2.        Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3.        Spray or add cooking oil in a large saucepan.
4.       Chop the garlic and red bell pepper.
5.       Add the garlic to the pan then add the shrimp, tofu, and bell pepper. Make sure the shrimp cooks well.
6.       Push everything to the side of the pan and add a little more oil. Add beaten eggs to the pan and scramble them into small pieces.
7.       Add noodles, sauce, bean sprouts to the pan. Mix everything evenly.
8.       Top with green onions, cilantro, and sprinkle the limes over. Add peanuts.

 

Recipe referenced from “Tastes Better from Scratch.”