Authentic Pad Thai Recipe
Have you ever wondered why authentic Pad Thai often seems lacking in noodles, yet still tastes addicting? The reason is that adding too much rice noodle causes clumping and ruins the enjoyment of this dish. So here is the first tip for authentic Pad Thai: DO NOT put too many noodles in the wok! Using the right noodle quantity is essential for achieving the proper balance of textures and flavors that make Pad Thai so crave-worthy

How much Rice Noodle is Too Much?
Well, if you have a scale, one serving should be anywhere between 70-100 grams per serving. Or if you are doing it street style like me or what the food vendors in Thailand do is just grabbing as much noodles as you can with your 5 fingers. One handful of noodles per serving no more than that.
Now, the next question that you or your family and friends may have in mind while making this dish is how many serving you should make in the wok at a time? The answer is no more than 2 servings at a time!
What if you are trying to make Pad Thai for 20 people?
Answer: You prep and cook everything else except for the noodles in a big batch enough for your company of 20 people first. I mean you still soak the noodles in a cold water for 20 people but you just don’t stir fry it all at once. And that should take no more than 20 minutes to do. Then when it comes to stir frying the Pad Thai noodle, stir-fry (assemble) only 1-2 servings at a time. Each round should take only 2-3 minutes. Therefore, the prepping and cooking time for 20 servings is some where between 60 – 90 minutes. Not so bad , right?
How to Prepare Tofu for Pad Thai?
Next tip is about the tofu. Use the firmest tofu you can find at the store so it does not break apart easily. Tofu from Asian markets often comes packed in liquid. To prevent oil splattering when frying and the tofu turning mushy from breaking down, drain the tofu block first. Place the tofu on a rack or strainer, then put a heavy bowl on top to gently press out the liquid. Do this right after starting to soak the noodles so you get multiple prep tasks done at once.
So in summary, before chopping any vegetables, meat or other ingredients, begin soaking the rice noodles and draining the tofu block. Getting the noodles soaking and excess moisture from the tofu are the first steps for authentic Pad Thai.
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What is the secret ingredient in Pad Thai?
Similar to many stir fry dished around the world, the starring ingredients of the dish is the sauce. In this authentic Pad Thai has the tangy, sweet, and fruity flavor from the tamarind concentrate. This seasoning is great in many dishes and makes one of the best dipping sauce for several dishes. This includes Thai Fried Chicken, Son-In-Law Eggs, and Weeping Tiger Beef. Many American restaurants substituted that with ketchup instead, but the taste does not come out right. Please, don’t do that lol! Plus, ketchup just gives you more unnecessary sugar in the dish.
Authentic Pad Thai Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pad Thai Sauce (Enough for 5-6 servings and can be stored in the jar and refrigerated)
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar (or palm sugar)
- 1/3 cup tamarind concentrate or juice
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp water
For the stir fry or noodle part for 2 servings
- 3-4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups rice noodles (2 handful for 2 serving)
- 2 cup fresh mung bean sprout
- 2 tbsp fried shallots
- 1-2 tbsp sweet pickled radish usually comes in as a shredded version
- 4 tbsp fried tofu
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped garlic chives chop about an inch long
- 4-10 peeled and devein shrimps
- 2 eggs
- 1-2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
- lime juice for seasoning at the end on each individual plate
- 1/2 – 1 tsp chili flakes for seasoning at the end on each individual plate
Instructions
Make the Pad Thai Sauce
- Combine palm sugar and water in a pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns golden brown.
- Add tamarind concentrate and fish sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 3–5 minutes.
- Let the sauce cool; it will thicken as it cools.
Prepare Fried Shallots (or skip and use store bought)
- Slice the shallots evenly. Use a mandolin or slicer for a quick and tear-free process.
- Lay the sliced shallots on paper towels. Sprinkle a little salt over them and let them sit for 4-5 minutes. Then, gently blot out the moisture with another piece of paper towel.
- Choose your frying vessel such as a pot or a wok. Use enough oil to submerge all the shallots.
- Add the shallots to the oil and pan before turning on the heat. Then, turn the heat to medium-high. You’ll notice vapors around the pan—that’s moisture escaping from the shallots. Starting with cold oil allows more moisture to escape, resulting in crispier shallots. Sprinkle some more salt at this stage.
- Consistently stir and fry the shallots. Keep the heat on medium until the oil begins to boil. Then reduce the heat to low, stirring frequently to ensure even coloring. The vapor will start to lessen after about 20 minutes.
- Remove the shallots when they turn golden. Scoop them out of the hot oil and spread them evenly on paper towels. For the best results, lay several pieces of paper towel on a cooling rack before spreading the fried shallots. At this stage, they won’t be very
- Let the fried shallots cool completely. As they cool, they will become crispier. Use them right away or store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Prepare the Tofu
- Place the tofu on a rack, cover it with a paper towel, and set a pan on top.
- Press the tofu to remove excess water by placing a heavy object, such as a book, on the pan. Let it sit while preparing other ingredients.
- Once the tofu is drained, dice or slice it into small strips.
- Fry the tofu in hot oil over low heat for 2 minutes. Set it aside.
Soak the Noodles
- For fresh rice noodles: Soak in room-temperature water for 5–10 minutes.
- For dry noodles: Soak in hot boiling water for 5–10 minutes, then drain.
Cook the Shrimp
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan over high heat.
- Cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, then set aside.
Cook the Pad Thai
- Heat a wok over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the soaked noodles and prepared sauce. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Add garlic chives,fried tofu, bean sprouts, dried shrimp, and sweet pickled radishes. Stir-fry for another 10–20 seconds, then push everything to one side of the wok.
- Add more oil to the empty side of the wok, crack in eggs, and scramble it. Cook the eggs, then mix them with the noodles.
- Add the cooked shrimp, fried shallots, crushed roasted peanuts, and chili flakes. (For children or those sensitive to spice, serve chili flakes on the side instead.)
Serve
- Serve the Pad Thai hot. Garnish with more crushed peanuts, lime wedges, chili flakes, sugar, fresh bean sprouts, and garlic chives on the side.