Thailand is famed for its delectable noodle dishes. While the ingredients have varied slightly from one chef to the next, its signature recipe – stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, bean sprouts, and an irresistibly tart pad Thai sauce – remains fairly constant.
The key to creating this deceptively straightforward yet deliciously aromatic dish lies in its sauce. Other than that, its focus lies on vegetables – particularly pressed tofu, sweet, preserved radish, pepper chives, and peanuts.
Rice Noodles
Pad Thai is an irresistibly delicious stir-fried noodle dish from Thailand that boasts subtle yet powerful flavors and is one of their national dishes.
While its exact components may differ depending on which restaurant serves it, the classic version typically includes sautéed thin rice noodles with egg, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts sautéed together until tender before being combined into one delicious stir-fried dish.
Pad Thai may seem like something only found at fancy restaurants, but this savory staple can also be found as street food in Thailand and is equally satisfying when served from humble carts or patio restaurants.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is an integral component of pad thai, but not all soy sauces are created equal. A suitable soy sauce for pad thai should have light flavors and colors – not dark and sticky ones – and offer both sweet and savory notes – made using equal parts fish sauce and brown sugar for maximum effect. You can click here to learn more.
Soy sauces are traditionally composed of wheat and soybeans, which may pose issues for those with gluten intolerance. It is important to read labels and inquire with restaurants as to their usage; some may provide alternatives that could work better if they know you have issues.
Sodium intake can be another concern for people watching their intake, but this too can be managed through careful selection of ingredients. There are lower sodium soy sauces available and decreasing fish sauce and dried shrimp quantities will also help lower overall sodium consumption in dishes.
A perfect pad thai should feature an abundance of sweet, salty, and sour flavors – its noodles should be crunchy but not soggy; its sauce should include equal parts fish sauce and brown sugar. Finishing touches such as fresh bean sprouts add crispiness and crunchiness. You can click the link: https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-grow-bean-sprouts-in-a-jar-slideshow for tips on how to grow your bean sprouts at home in a small space.
Other vegetables that add great dimension and texture to a pad thai dish include shredded green papaya, scallions, and thinly sliced white cabbage. Other common additions to this popular dish include scrambled eggs and cubes of tofu, which can replace the shrimp or meat if desired.
Preserved radish provides a subtle pickle-y taste that adds depth of flavor to this delicious Thai classic dish.
Fish Sauce
Pad thai’s fish sauce adds the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and sour notes, making it essential for Asian cooking and often used as an ingredient in its own right as an umami boost. You’ll find tall bottles featuring ingredients listed clearly (fish extract, water, and salt).
Fish sauce (known by different names in different regions, such as mam nem in Vietnam, pla ra in Thailand, nuoc mam in Cambodia, and nam pla cha or nhi in Vietnamese or Thai) is an indispensable pantry staple – its pungent yet savory flavor elevates even mundane meals into gourmet experiences!
Traditional fish sauce recipes can be fairly simplistic: small salted fish (such as anchovies) are placed in large vats with salt for a lengthy fermentation process until they become brown muck smelling slightly of cured anchovies and packed with umami flavor.
You’ll typically find this kind of fish sauce on store shelves under names like mam nem or nuoc mam; for something with stronger flavors try artisanal versions containing no or less sugar as this speeds up fermentation processes faster.
Most people associate pad Thai with shrimp, but this dish can also be prepared using chicken, pork, or extra-firm tofu for those who do not eat seafood. While each protein may slightly alter its flavor profile, all are equally delectable options!
To make a vegetarian or vegan pad Thai dish, simply substitute soy sauce for fish sauce and add lime juice as needed to bring out its flavors and add freshness.
Peanuts
At the best pad Thai restaurants, these flavors will come together seamlessly. Just the right amount of lime or tamarind will add acidity and sweetness, while fish sauce provides its signature saltiness. You can click here to learn more about tamarind and how to eat it.
Crushed dried chilies add heat and peanuts add their signature crunch – two elements essential to Thai food dishes!
What sets great ones apart is a skillful balance of flavors that create something both familiar and unexpected. Furthermore, great versions will often avoid the over-sweetening that characterizes many American versions of the dish.
Vegetables
Pad Thai found at high-end restaurants doesn’t necessarily need to contain many vegetables, but their addition adds texture and flavor. If you want to replicate the taste and quality of restaurants like Dannee Thai Brooklyn, you will need to carefully prepare your veggies. Choose quick-cooking veggies such as carrots, bell peppers and snap peas/snow peas.
For even cooking try julienne cutting them first. You can also add in extra greens like bok choy or any other type of cabbage for even more greens and flavor!
Pad Thai, one of Thailand’s signature dishes, did not exist before the 1930s.
Once Plaek Phibunsongkhram (commonly referred to as Phibun) came into power and adopted it as part of his plan to unify Thailand, Phibun distributed standardized recipes and encouraged street vendors to serve it to promote national image and pride while simultaneously offering cheap yet nutritious diet options.
Nowadays, Pad Thai has become a symbol of Thai cuisine; however, its origins lie more with Chinese than Thai culture. Noodles and stir fry are typical components of Chinese cuisine.
