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Pad Thai

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Pad Thai

Online recipe · as published / commonly shared

Servings: 2 · Cook 40 min · Total 40 min

We wrote this recipe in the Joy of Cooking style. Every amount, time and step comes from the source's recipe card.

Thailand's stir-fried rice noodle dish, cooked fast in a hot wok.

For the Rice Noodles

In a medium bowl, cover with slightly warm water (about 110°F; 43°C):

4 ounces (113 g) dried medium rice noodles

Hydrate until pliable, about 30 minutes.

For the Pork

in a mixing bowl, stir together until well combined:

4 ounces (112 g) pork shoulder, sliced very thinly into roughly 1- by 1 1/2-inch pieces (1/2 cup) (see notes)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fish sauce

Pinch of granulated sugar

For the Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine:

2 tablespoons (40 g) palm sugar

2 tablespoons (35 g) tamarind concentrate (see notes)

Set over low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. (If the sugar is slow to dissolve, add 1 tablespoon water.) Remove from the heat. Stir in until well combined:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (35 ml) fish sauce

For the Stir-Fry

Heat a wok or large carbon steel or cast iron skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add and swirl to coat the surface:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (35 ml) neutral oil such as canola oil

add:

Marinated pork, from above

With a wok spatula or large spoon, stir until about halfway cooked, about 20 seconds.

Add:

70 g pressed tofu, cut into 1- by 1/2- by 1/4-inch pieces (1/2 cup)

2 packed tablespoons (25 g) sweet preserved radish

2 tablespoons (10 g) small or medium dried shrimp

1 small Asian shallot (20 g), cut into 1/4-inch dice

Stir rapidly until aromatic and heated through, about 40 seconds. Push everything to one side.

Crack into the empty side :

1 large egg

Break the yolk and briefly stir to distribute. Cook without stirring until the egg is mostly set. Do not scramble. Once set, fold the aromatic mixture over the egg. Flip and scrape so nothing sticks. Stir until well combined and the egg is broken into smaller pieces.

Add:

Rehydrated rice noodles, from above

Then pour around the edges :

Sauce, from above

Follow with 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons water:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (25 g) water, plus more as needed

Stir until the sauce is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add a 1/4 cup of the chives and 1/4 cup of the sprouts:

1 1/2 ounces (40 g) Chinese flat garlic chives, cut into 1 1/2–inch pieces (1 cup), divided

2 cups (80 g) mung bean sprouts, divided

Stir until wilted, about 30 seconds.

Turn off the heat. Add the remaining Chinese flat garlic chives and mung bean sprouts, along with:

3 tablespoons (25 g) crushed unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, plus more for serving

Stir to combine. Serve immediately with additional crushed peanuts and sugar on the side, and:

Lime wedges, for serving

Thai chile powder, for serving

Fish sauce, for serving

Reference: Thai Food by David Thompson (2002). Publisher: Ten Speed Press, 2002 edition, hardcover, ISBN 978-1580084628.

We put this together for personal use. See the citations. This is not a cookbook reprint.