Pad Thai
ผัดไทย
Phat Thai
Thailand’s best-known stir-fried noodle dish, balancing sweet, sour, salty and savoury flavours with rice noodles, egg, tofu and crunchy peanuts.
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Wok: Large frying pan or Sauté pan
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About this dish
Thailand’s best-known stir-fried noodle dish, balancing sweet, sour, salty and savoury flavours with rice noodles, egg, tofu and crunchy peanuts.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates per serving and may vary with brands, portions and substitutions.
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Smart substitutions
Substitutions can make the recipe easier, safer or suitable for a dietary need, but they may change the authentic flavour.
Flavour: lime juice plus brown sugar
Allergy: rice vinegar plus sugar
Dietary: lime juice plus sugar
Flavour: light soy sauce plus a pinch of seaweed
Allergy: coconut aminos
Dietary: vegan fish sauce
Flavour: light brown sugar
Allergy: maple syrup
Dietary: coconut sugar
Ingredients
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180 g dried flat rice noodlesmedium width
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150 g raw prawnspeeled and deveined
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2 tbsp tamarind concentrateadjust to taste
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1½ tbsp fish sauce
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1½ tbsp palm sugarfinely chopped
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2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
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2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
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100 g firm tofusmall cubes
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2 eggslightly beaten
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80 g bean sprouts
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2 Garlic Chivescut into 4 cm lengths
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2 tbsp roasted peanutscrushed
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1 limecut into wedges
Have every ingredient prepared before heating the wok; the cooking stage is very fast.
Method
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1
Soften the noodles
Soak the rice noodles in room-temperature water until flexible but still slightly firm, then drain well.
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2
Make the sauce
Mix tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar until the sugar dissolves.
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3
Cook the aromatics
Pat the firm tofu dry, then heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic and tofu; stir-fry until fragrant and lightly golden.
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4
Add prawns and egg
Add the prawns and cook until nearly pink. Push everything aside, add egg and scramble briefly.
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5
Finish the noodles
Add noodles and sauce. Toss briskly until the noodles absorb the sauce and become tender. Add a splash of water only if needed.
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6
Add vegetables
Fold through bean sprouts and chives for 30–60 seconds, keeping them crisp.
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7
Serve
Top with peanuts and serve with lime wedges.
What it tastes like
Sweet-sour tamarind, savoury fish sauce, gentle chilli heat and nutty crunch.
Make it milder
Use no chilli flakes and serve chilli separately. Add a little more palm sugar if the tamarind is particularly sharp.
Ingredient substitutions
Chicken can replace prawns. Light soy sauce may replace fish sauce, though the flavour will be less traditional.
Vegetarian alternative
Use extra tofu, omit prawns and replace fish sauce with light soy sauce or vegan fish sauce.
Common mistakes
Over-soaking noodles makes them mushy. Do not flood the wok with water, and avoid overcrowding the pan.
Serving the dish
Serve immediately while the noodles are glossy and the vegetables remain crisp.
Crushed peanuts, lime wedges, chilli flakes and extra bean sprouts.
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Log in or registerCooking times and ingredient quantities are approximate. Ensure meat, seafood and eggs are thoroughly cooked, follow safe food-handling guidance, and adjust ingredients for allergies or dietary requirements.
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