A proper Pad Thai is one of the most satisfying things you can put on the table on a weeknight, once you have the ingredients in your pantry. And I do keep them in my pantry now, specifically because it means I can make this whenever I want without planning. The dried noodles last forever and the sauces keep for months.
The key to getting that distinctive Pad Thai flavour is the tamarind paste — it gives the sweet-sour balance that soy sauce alone can't replicate. Fish sauce is the other non-negotiable. I know the bottle smells alarming. I know. Add it anyway. Everything changes when it hits the heat.
Serve it with the classic accompaniments: extra fish sauce, chilli flakes, sugar and a squeeze of lime on the table so everyone can adjust to their own taste. And more bean sprouts if you like crunch. My children refuse the bean sprouts, which means more for me, which I consider a reasonable outcome.
"The fish sauce smells terrifying. Add it anyway. Trust the process."
Ingredients
- 200g flat rice noodles
- 300g raw prawns, peeled (or chicken thigh, diced)
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 150g bean sprouts
- 3 spring onions, cut into 3cm pieces
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 50g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges, fresh coriander, extra chilli to serve
Method
Step 1
Soak the rice noodles in room-temperature water for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. Mix the tamarind, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste — it should be balanced sweet, sour and salty.
Step 2
Heat a wok over very high heat until smoking. Add the oil, then add the garlic. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the prawns or chicken and cook until just done — about 2 minutes. Push to the side of the wok.
Step 3
Add the drained noodles to the empty side of the wok. Pour in the sauce and toss the noodles to coat. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Push everything to one side, add the egg and scramble until just set, then fold through the noodles.
Step 4
Add the bean sprouts and spring onions and toss everything together for 30 seconds. Serve immediately scattered with peanuts, with lime wedges and a small plate of accompaniments for seasoning at the table.
