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+ servings

Pad Thai

Cook's Illustrated, July & August 2002
Hands down, the best Pad Thai recipe out there. A little time intensive, but worth every minute.
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 TB tamarind paste
  • 3/4 cup boiling water
  • 3 TB fish sauce
  • 1 TB rice vinegar
  • 3 TB sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 4 T peanut or vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces dried rice stick noodles 1/8 inch wide (width of linguine)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 12 ounces medium shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 3 garlic cloves pressed through garlic press or minced (1 TB)
  • 1 medium shallot minced (about 3 TB)
  • 2 TB dried shrimp chopped fine (optional)
  • 2 TB chopped Thai salted preserved radish
  • 6 TB chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
  • 3 cups 6 ounces bean sprouts
  • 5 medium scallions green parts only, sliced think on sharp bias
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves optional
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  • Rehydrate tamarind paste in boiling water (Soak for 10 minutes, then push it through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and fibers and extract as much pulp as possible).
  • Stir fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cayenne and 2 TB oil into tamarind liquid and set aside.
  • Cover rice sticks with hot tap water in large bowl; soak until softened, pliable and limp but not fully tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Drain noodles and set aside.
  • Beat eggs and 1/8 tsp salt in small bowl; set aside
  • Heat 1 TB oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke, about 2 minutes.
  • Add shrimp and sprinkle with remaining 1/8 tsp salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until shrimp are opaque and browned around the edges, about 3 minutes.
  • Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside
  • Off heat, add remaining TB oil to skillet and swirl to coat; add garlic and shallot, set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until light golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes; add eggs to skillet and stir vigorously with wooden spoon until scrambled and barely moist, about 20 seconds.
  • Add noodles, dried shrimp, and salted radish to eggs; toss with 2 wooden spoons to combine.
  • Pour fish sauce mixture over noodles, increase heat to high, and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are evenly coated.
  • Scatter 1/4 cup peanuts, bean sprouts, all but 1/4 cup scallions and cooked shrimp over noodles; continue to cook, tossing constantly until noodles are tender, about 2 1/2 minutes (if not yet tender add 2 TB water to skillet and continue to cook until tender).
  • Transfer noodles to serving platter, sprinkle with remaining scallions, 2 TB peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
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