Pailin's Authentic Pad Thai

The real-deal Thai street food classic with tamarind, palm sugar, and all the proper bits.

Prep 1 hr 10 min
Cook 10 min
Total 1 hr 20 min
Servings 2
Method Wok

Ingredients

2 eggs (100 g)
2½ cups bean sprouts, loosely packed (125 g)
3 cloves garlic, chopped (9 g)
3 oz pressed tofu, cut into small pieces (85 g)
- Extra-firm tofu — 1:1, pressed and diced Slightly softer texture; similar calories; press well to remove moisture
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (42 g)
- Peanut oil — 1:1 Higher smoke point; subtle nutty flavor; similar calories
3 tablespoons Thai tamarind paste (45 g)
3 tablespoons sweet preserved daikon radish, chopped (30 g)
35 g palm sugar, chopped (about 3 tablespoons tightly packed) (35 g)
- Light brown sugar — 1:1 Less nuanced sweetness; works in a pinch; similar calories
4 oz dry rice noodles, medium width, soaked in room-temperature water for 1 hour (115 g)
7–10 stalks garlic chives, cut into 2-inch pieces (70 g)
10 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (100 g)
1 tablespoon dried shrimp (8 g)
- Omit entirely Lose some umami depth; dish still works without it
2 tablespoons fish sauce (30 g)
¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly crushed (36 g)
¼ cup shallots, thinly sliced (35 g)
Dried chili flakes to taste
Lime wedges for serving

Steps

Soak the rice noodles in room-temperature water for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) until they are completely pliable but not mushy. Drain well before cooking.
Make the sauce. Melt the palm sugar in a small pan over medium heat, pressing on any hard chunks. Once melted, let it cook until it darkens slightly in color for a richer flavor. Turn off the heat and carefully add the tamarind paste (it will bubble). Turn the heat back to low, add the fish sauce, and stir until the sugar fully dissolves. Set aside.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a wok over high heat. Sear the shrimp until just cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Remove and set aside.
Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil to the wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the preserved radish, dried shrimp, and tofu. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until everything is lightly toasted.
Turn the heat to high. Add the drained noodles and the sauce. Toss constantly, using tongs or chopsticks, until the noodles have absorbed all the sauce and are fully cooked through. If they're still a bit firm, add a splash of water and keep tossing.
Push everything to one side of the wok. Crack the eggs into the empty side and let them set for about 30 seconds without stirring. Flip the noodles on top of the eggs and let them cook undisturbed for another 30 seconds. Then toss everything together.
Add 1½ cups of the bean sprouts and all of the garlic chives. Toss briefly, just until the sprouts begin to wilt slightly. Remove from heat immediately.
Plate and top with the seared shrimp, crushed peanuts, chili flakes, and a lime wedge. Serve the remaining 1 cup of bean sprouts on the side for extra freshness.

Tips

Use Thai tamarind paste, not Indian concentrate. Thai tamarind paste is a loose brown liquid. Indian tamarind concentrate is a thick black paste that's much more intense. They are different products and not interchangeable.
Cook one serving at a time. Crowding the wok leads to soggy noodles. For two people, cook two separate batches (halving the ingredients each time) for the best results.
Noodles don't reheat well. Rice noodles clump and turn mushy after refrigeration. Make only what you plan to eat right away.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 793
Protein 34 g
Fat 38 g
Carbs 81 g
Sat. Fat 6 g
Cholesterol 285 mg
Sodium 1,640 mg
Fiber 4 g
Sugars 22 g

Nutrition estimated from ingredients · Per serving (based on 2 servings)

Weight Estimates

Uncooked ~865 g
Cooked ~750 g
Per Serving ~375 g

High-heat wok cooking evaporates moisture from the sauce and bean sprouts. Noodles absorb water during soaking but release some during stir-frying. Using a conservative 13% reduction to keep calorie density on the higher side.