Pad Thai Classic

Ingredients:

Preparation mode:

👉 Pad thai is the noodle dish Thailand is famous for: soft, chewy rice noodles stir-fried over high heat with chicken, tofu and egg, coated in a tangy tamarind and fish sauce dressing and topped with crunchy peanuts, fresh sprouts and lime.

🍳 How to Make Pad Thai

1. Soak the noodles. Cover the rice noodles with warm (not boiling) water for 25–30 minutes, until they bend easily but are still firm in the middle. Drain well.
2. Mix the sauce. Stir together the tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Taste – it should be sour, salty and sweet at the same time.
3. Cook the chicken and tofu. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over high heat. Fry the tofu until golden, push it aside, then add the chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes until cooked.
4. Add aromatics. Add the garlic and shallot and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Scramble the eggs. Push everything to one side, add the remaining oil and crack in the eggs. Let them set for a few seconds, then break them up.
6. Add the noodles. Add the drained noodles and the sauce. Toss constantly for 2–3 minutes until the noodles soak up the sauce and turn soft. Add a splash of water if they stick.
7. Finish. Toss in most of the bean sprouts and the spring onions for 30 seconds. Serve topped with peanuts, the rest of the sprouts, lime wedges and chili flakes.

💡 Tips

• Do not boil the noodles – soaking keeps them chewy and stops them breaking in the wok.
• Cook in two batches if your wok is small; crowding makes the noodles soggy.
• Shrimp is a classic swap for the chicken.

❓ FAQ

Is pad thai spicy?
Not very. In Thailand the heat is added at the table with chili flakes, so everyone can adjust it.

What can I use instead of tamarind?
Lime juice with a little extra sugar gives a similar sour note, although tamarind tastes deeper and fruitier.

👉 More noodles: browse our recipe collection.

Footnotes:

Bangkok-style pad thai at home: chewy rice noodles tossed in a hot wok with chicken, tofu, egg and a sweet-sour tamarind sauce, finished with peanuts and lime.