Pad Thai
This legendary Tila family recipe has been shared for over 40 years, offering a perfect balance of the five Thai flavors: hot, sour, salty, sweet, and savory. It features chewy rice noodles, succulent shrimp, and a vibrant sauce that captures the essence of authentic Thai street food. Chef's tips: (1) Do not boil the rice noodles; soaking them in warm water for an hour is the key to the perfect texture. (2) Use baked tofu rather than water-packed tofu as it holds its shape better during high-heat stir-frying. (3) High heat is essential; look for the oil to shimmer and emit wisps of smoke before starting. (4) The sauce uses paprika for color; it's a great trick to get the classic orange-red hue without making it too spicy. (5) If the pan seems too dry while cooking the noodles, add a splash of the noodle-soaking water (the 'pasta water' trick).
- Time: 60 min
- Servings: 4
Source: ChefChef
Ingredients
- to 4 cups Medium-width rice stick noodles
- Vegetable oil
- to 4 cloves, roughly chopped Garlic
- cup, sliced into thin planes Thai-style baked tofu
- Dried shrimp
- cup, cut into thin strips Chicken thigh
- Eggs
- tsp, minced Packaged salted turnip
- peeled and cleaned Shrimp
- Bean sprouts
- cup, crushed Dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
- to 4, cut into 2-inch bias strips Garlic chives
- Thai fish sauce
- Sugar
- Bottled tamarind paste
- Fresh lime juice
- Rice wine vinegar
- Sweet paprika
- Chili sauce
- optional for plating Banana leaf