From Somebody Feed Phil · 2018- · Reconstructed
Pad Thai
Serve when
Toss it the moment the noodles hit the hot wok — pad thai waits for no one.
In the series
Season 1
- S1E1 · ~00:22:00 Wandering Bangkok's Chinatown on Yaowarat Road, Phil eats fresh pad thai and smoky satay skewers cooked to order at street carts
In the series
Pad thai is street food at its most familiar to a Western audience, and the episode uses it as a comfortable landing point between the more adventurous stops — proof that Bangkok's cart food covers the whole range from approachable to fearless, often on the same block.
Ingredients
Method
- Soak the rice noodles in warm water until pliable but still firm, 20 to 30 minutes, then drain — they finish cooking in the wok, so undersoaked beats oversoaked.
- Whisk the tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar into a sauce and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Cook the shrimp until just pink, push to one side, then scramble the eggs in the cleared space.
- Add the noodles and sauce, tossing constantly until the noodles are coated and just tender.
- Add the tofu, most of the bean sprouts, and the scallions, tossing another minute.
- Plate and top with crushed peanuts, the remaining raw bean sprouts, lime wedges, and chili flakes.
Substitutions
- Tamarind paste: A mix of lime juice and a little brown sugar can stand in for tamarind in a pinch, though the flavor is less complex.
- Palm sugar: Light brown sugar substitutes evenly.