Phat Thai (Pad Thai)
Submitted by quene321
Authentic shrimp pad thai: rice noodles stir-fried fast over high heat with garlic, shrimp, egg, and fish sauce, finished with bean sprouts, peanuts, and a squeeze of lime. Thai street food made at home.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsGreat pad thai is all about speed, which means the secret happens before the wok ever heats up. This is fast, high-heat stir-frying, so you prep every ingredient and line them up beside the stove first. Once the cooking starts, there’s no time to chop.
Begin by soaking the rice noodles in warm water until limp and white, never boiling them, since they finish cooking in the pan. Then it’s a quick sequence: sizzle garlic, sear the shrimp until just pink, scramble an egg into soft lumps, and set both aside. The noodles go into the hot wok next, tossed and folded until they soften and, as the recipe nicely puts it, curl into ivory ringlets.
The seasoning is deceptively simple: fish sauce for salty depth and a little sugar for balance, tossed through so every strand is coated. Bean sprouts, green onion, the shrimp, and egg fold back in for a final minute, then it’s peanuts for crunch and a big squeeze of fresh lime over the top. Serve it the instant it’s done, while the noodles are hot and the sprouts still snap.
Pro Tips
- Prep everything before you start. Pad thai cooks in minutes, so there’s no time to chop once the wok is hot.
- Soak the noodles in warm water, not boiling. They should be limp but not fully cooked, since they finish in the pan.
- Cook over high heat and keep things moving. A hot wok keeps the noodles from clumping.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp; pull them the moment they turn pink and add them back at the end.
Variations
- Swap shrimp for sliced chicken, pork, or pressed tofu.
- Add tamarind paste for a more traditional sweet-sour tang.
- Finish with chili flakes and extra lime, the classic Thai table seasonings.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak rice noodles in warm water to cover for 15 to 20 minutes.
Prepare all the remaining ingredients and place them next to the stove, along with a small serving platter.
When the noodles are very limp and white, drain and measure 2½ cups.
Set by the stove as well. The idea is to keep everything warm.
Heat Wok or large skillet at medium-hi heat and add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the surface.
When oil if very hot drop in garlic and toss until golden, about 30 seconds.
Add shrimp and toss until they turn pink, for beef or pork until light brown, no more that 1 min. for shrimp.
Remove from pan and set aside.
Add the egg to pan and tilt the pan to spread it into a thin sheet.
As soon as it begins to set, scramble it to break it into small lumps.
Remove and set aside with shrimp.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in wok or skillet and heat 30 seconds and add soften noodles.
Thin noodles to cover the surface of the pan, then clump them together and gently turn over, repeat this process until the noodles soften and curl into ivory ringlets.
Add fish sauce and turn noodles to evenly season.
Add sugar and peanuts and continue to turn the noodles to season.
Reserve some of the bean sprouts, green onion for garnish.
Add the bean sprouts, green onions and the shrimp and egg mixture.
Cook for 1 minute, turning often.
Transfer noodles to the serving paltter and squeeze the juice of 2 lime wedges over the top.
Garnish with remaining beansprouts and lime and serve at once.
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