Pad Thai

A Thai noodle stir fry with a sweet-savory sour sauce scattered with crushed peanuts. It’s made with thin, flat rice noodles, and almost always has bean sprouts, garlic chives, scrambled egg, firm tofu, and a protein – the most popular being chicken or prawns/shrimp.

Ingredients:

125 g / 4oz Chang’s Pad Thai dried rice sticks (Note 1)

- Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsp tamarind puree (Note 2)

3 tbsp (packed) brown sugar

2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 3)

1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 4)

- Stir Fry:

2 – 3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

1/2 onion, sliced (brown, yellow) 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

150 g/5oz chicken breast (or thigh), thinly sliced

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 1/2 cups of beansprouts

1/2 cup firm tofu, cut into 3cm / 1 1/4″ batons (see photo)

1/4 cup garlic chives, cut into 3cm / 1 1/4″ pieces

1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts

- For Serving:

Lime wedges (essential)

Ground chili or cayenne pepper (optional)

More beansprouts

Procedure:

- Place noodles in a large bowl pour over plenty of boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and quickly rinse under cold water. Don’t leave them sitting around for more than 5 – 10 minutes. Mix Sauce in a small bowl.

- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick pan (or well-seasoned skillet) over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook for 1 1/2 minutes until mostly cooked through.

- Push to one side of the pan, pour the egg in on the other side. Scramble using the wooden spoon (add a touch of extra oil if the pan is too dry), then mix into chicken. Add bean sprouts, tofu, noodles then Sauce.

- Toss gently for about 1 1/2 minutes until Sauce is absorbed by the noodles. Add garlic chives and half the peanuts. Toss through quickly then remove from heat.

- Serve immediately, sprinkled with remaining peanuts and lime wedges on the side, with a sprinkle of chili and a handful of extra beansprouts on the side if desired (this is the Thai way!). Squeeze over lime juice to taste before eating.

Author: Lei Lindog