Pad Thai was originally developed in Bangkok to serve the city’s busy office workers with fast and delicious food. It’s great as a lunchtime meal, but also a popular mainstay at Thailand’s night markets. Authentic Pad Thai harmonizes sweet, sour and salty flavors to great effect – while the contrasting textures of rice noodles, bean sprouts, eggs, and peanuts keep every bite interesting. Pad Thai is probably the most popular dish outside the country, but many American versions come out much sweeter, saucier and heavier than their Thai counterparts, which are supposed to be light and dry.

Pad Thai

Yields 1-2 servings

4 ounces of thin rice stick noodles
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
¼ brick of pressed tofu, chopped into small pieces
1 large egg
½ pound of shrimp, peeled
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts
½ cup mung bean sprouts
¼ cup scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 wedge of lime
Cilantro optional

  1. Soak noodles in a large bowl filled with boiling hot water until just tender but not too soft. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a wok or large skillet heat the oil until it shimmers. Put in the tofu and stir-fry for a minute.
  3. Crack the egg into the pan. When it begins to set, scramble it with the tofu.
  4. Add the shrimp and toss in the noodles just as the shrimp begins to color.
  5. Add the fish sauce, pepper flakes and vinegar.
  6. Stir-fry until noodles are tender, about 3-5 minutes.
  7. Once the noodles absorb the sauce, stir in the sugar and peanuts.
  8. Toss in the sprouts and scallions. Mix quickly and remove from heat.
  9. Garnish with peanuts, sprouts and lime.

Ingredients available at:

Asia Market Corporation 71 1/2 Mulberry Street, New York, 212-962-2020 // Kalustyan’s 123 Lexington Avenue, New York, 212-685-3451 // Udom Corp. 81A Bayard Street, New York,  212-349-7662 // Bangkok Center Grocery104 Mosco Street, New York 212-349-1979 // Hong Kong Supermarket 6013 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-432-2288 // Hung Lee Co. 78 Bayard Street, New York.