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Thailand’s National Noodle Dish—Sweet, Sour, Salty, and Perfectly Balanced

Pad Thai is the quintessential Thai stir-fry: chewy rice noodles tossed in a tamarind-based sauce, wok-fried with tofu, dried shrimp, egg, and finished with a shower of crushed peanuts, lime, and fresh beansprouts. This version follows the official Thai government recipe, created to standardize and preserve Thailand’s culinary identity abroad. It delivers on balance—sweet, salty, tangy, and just a touch spicy—served piping hot, and never cloying.

Ingredients

Serves 2

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp tamarind paste (น้ำมะขามเปียก)
• 3 tbsp palm sugar (น้ำตาลปี๊บ), shaved or finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (น้ำปลา)

For the stir-fry

• 120g dry rice noodles, soaked in water for 1 hour (about 4 oz)
• 100g firm tofu, diced (about 3.5 oz)
• 1 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked for 10 minutes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp chives or Chinese garlic chives, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup beansprouts
• 1 tbsp preserved radish (optional, for umami and texture)
• 1 tsp chili powder (optional)

To serve

• ¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
• ½ lime, cut into wedges
• Extra beansprouts and chives, for garnish
• Optional: banana blossom or pickled turnip (for traditional presentation)

Instructions

In a small saucepan, gently heat the tamarind paste, palm sugar, and fish sauce over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Taste for balance—it should be tangy, sweet, and salty in equal parts. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the dried shrimp, tofu, and preserved radish (if using), stir-frying until lightly golden.

Push the aromatics to one side of the wok. Crack in the eggs, scramble gently, and mix into the aromatics once partially set.

Add the soaked and drained rice noodles. Pour in the Pad Thai sauce and stir quickly, tossing until the noodles are evenly coated and slightly caramelized—about 2–3 minutes. If the pan gets dry, add a small splash of water.

Toss in chives, beansprouts, and optional chili powder. Stir briefly, just to wilt.

Plate immediately. Top with crushed peanuts, extra beansprouts, a wedge of lime, and more chives. Serve hot, with optional garnishes for tradition.

Cooking Tips

Use tamarind paste, not concentrate, for proper acidity and complexity. Soaking the noodles just until pliable prevents mushy texture during stir-frying. Keep your wok hot and ingredients moving—Pad Thai should cook fast and with confidence. Don’t overdo the sugar or oil; the beauty of this dish is in its balance, not heaviness.