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Finished and plated dish: Authentic Pad Thai with Prawns and Tamarind
Fotografía del plato terminado: Authentic Pad Thai with Prawns and Tamarind
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Authentic Pad Thai with Prawns and Tamarind

Por Álvaro (RecetAI)•Actualizada recientemente
Thailand
Crazy with Chopsticks, In a Jiffy, Street Food
Dairy-FreeGluten-FreeTraditional
  • 2
    servings
  • 693 kcal/serving
  • medium

Ingredients

Still life with the fresh ingredients needed for the recipe

  • Dried flat rice noodles ('Sen Lek' or 'Banh Pho', 3-5mm wide)

    200 g

  • Large raw prawns (peeled and deveined)

    300 g

  • Firm tofu (cut into small cubes)

    150 g

  • Tamarind paste (the acidic soul of the recipe)

    3 cucharadas generosas

  • Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla - essential)

    3 cucharadas

  • Palm sugar (or dark brown sugar as a substitute)

    2 cucharadas colmadas

  • Chicken eggs

    2 units

  • Fresh bean sprouts (washed and drained)

    100 g

  • Unsalted roasted peanuts (roughly crushed)

    50 g

  • Chinese chives (or scallions/spring onions cut into 5 cm pieces)

    4-5 tallos

  • Neutral vegetable oil (high smoke point: peanut or sunflower)

    3 cucharadas

  • Fresh lime, dried chili flakes, and fresh garlic (for serving and stir-frying)

    1 lima, 2 dientes de ajo, guindilla al gusto

Utensils needed

    About this recipe

    Thailand's national dish and probably the most famous stir-fried noodle dish on Earth.

    The real authentic Pad Thai is not what most restaurants in the world serve; it's born from a surgical balance between a mother sauce of tamarind, fermented fish sauce, and palm sugar that creates the mystery of 'Sweet-Sour-Umami-Salty'.

    The flat, thin, translucent rice noodles are rehydrated (never boiled), then fiercely wok-tossed over maximum heat in a smoking-hot wok ('Wok Hei' concept) along with prawns, tofu, egg, and bean sprouts.

    Always served with crushed peanuts, fresh lime, dried chili flakes, and garlic chives.

    An authentic Pad Thai is judged by its texture: noodles must be springy, glossy, and separate, never sticky or clumped.

    Instructions

    1
    Step 1

    Step 1

    The Hydration (Don't boil them!): Place the dried rice noodles in a large bowl with room-temperature water (not hot). Soak them for 20 to 30 minutes. You want them flexible like a rubber windshield wiper, but still firm in the center: if you bend them, they should curve without snapping. If you boil them, you'll get mush. Drain them completely.

    You will need:

    200 gDried flat rice noodles ('Sen Lek' or 'Banh Pho', 3-5mm wide)
    2
    Step 2

    Step 2

    The Mother Sauce ('Pad Thai Sauce'): While the noodles soak, prepare the sauce that gives the dish its soul. In a small bowl, dissolve the tamarind paste with a couple of tablespoons of warm water to loosen it. Add the fish sauce (Nam Pla) and palm sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Taste it: it must be a perfect equilibrium of sour, salty, and sweet, with no dominant flavor.

    You will need:

    3 cucharadas generosasTamarind paste (the acidic soul of the recipe)3 cucharadasSalsa de pescado tailandesa (Nam Pla - imprescindible)2 cucharadas colmadasAzúcar de palma (o azúcar moreno como sustituto)
    3
    Step 3

    Step 3

    Maximum Wok Fire (Wok Hei): Place your carbon steel or cast-iron wok over the highest heat possible until it begins to lightly smoke. When it's blazing, add the oil and quickly swirl it to coat the surface. Toss in the tofu cubes and fry them aggressively, tossing vigorously for 2 minutes until they're golden and crispy on the outside. Remove and set aside.

    You will need:

    150 gFirm tofu (cut into small cubes)1 cucharadaNeutral vegetable oil (high smoke point: peanut or sunflower)
    4
    Step 4

    Step 4

    The Prawns and Volcanic Garlic: In the same smoking wok, with a tiny bit more oil, toss in the prawns and very finely sliced garlic. Stir-fry aggressively for barely 1 minute, shaking the wok. The prawns should turn pink but not overcook. Remove them alongside the tofu.

    You will need:

    300 gLarge raw prawns (peeled and deveined)2 dientes de ajoLima fresca, guindilla seca en copos y ajo fresco (para servir y para el salteado)
    5
    Step 5

    Step 5

    The Volcanic Wrapped Egg: Push everything in the wok to one side. In the empty space of the blazing center, crack the two eggs directly onto the incandescent surface. Let them set for 15 seconds, then break the yolks and briefly scramble them with the spatula to create irregular chunks of scrambled egg (don't overbeat them; you should see separate pieces of golden yolk and white).

    You will need:

    2 unidadesChicken eggs
    6
    Step 6

    Step 6

    The Fusion of Noodles and Sauce: This is the most critical step. Immediately after breaking the egg, throw the drained rice noodles on top of the egg. Now pour all of the tamarind mother sauce over the noodles. Using tongs or a spatula, lift, turn, flip, and toss the noodles with the sauce using energetic, athletic movements for 2-3 minutes. The noodles must absorb all the sauce, turn a brilliant golden-amber color, and separate from each other. If they clump, raise the heat and add a tablespoon of water.

    You will need:

    200 g (remojados)Dried flat rice noodles ('Sen Lek' or 'Banh Pho', 3-5mm wide)
    7
    Step 7

    Step 7

    The Final Reunion: Return the golden prawns, crispy tofu cubes, and half of the bean sprouts to the wok. Add the chive pieces. Stir-fry everything together for barely 30 more seconds: just enough to heat the ingredients without overcooking. The sprouts should still have some 'crunch'.

    You will need:

    50 g (la mitad)Fresh bean sprouts (washed and drained)4-5 tallosCebollino chino (o cebolleta/cebolla tierna cortada en trozos de 5 cm)
    8
    Step 8

    Step 8

    The Thai Ceremonial Plating: Serve the Pad Thai on a wide, flat plate. Crown the mound of golden noodles with crushed peanuts, the remaining fresh bean sprouts (raw), a generous lime wedge, and a touch of dried chili flakes. The Thai ritual demands squeezing the lime over the noodles right as you sit down to eat. If you can get thinly sliced banana blossom or 'garlic chives' to garnish, you're a professional.

    You will need:

    50 gUnsalted roasted peanuts (roughly crushed)1 lima, guindilla al gustoLima fresca, guindilla seca en copos y ajo fresco (para servir y para el salteado)50 g (restantes, crudos)Fresh bean sprouts (washed and drained)

    Your culinary masterpiece is ready to enjoy!

    Share your version and surprise your guests with art and flavor.

    Celebración cómica y surrealista de Authentic Pad Thai with Prawns and Tamarind, con ingredientes: Dried flat rice noodles ('Sen Lek' or 'Banh Pho', 3-5mm wide), Large raw prawns (peeled and deveined), Firm tofu (cut into small cubes), Tamarind paste (the acidic soul of the recipe), Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla - essential).

    Composición final humorística de Authentic Pad Thai with Prawns and Tamarind con Dried flat rice noodles ('Sen Lek' or 'Banh Pho', 3-5mm wide), Large raw prawns (peeled and deveined), Firm tofu (cut into small cubes), Tamarind paste (the acidic soul of the recipe), Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla - essential)
    Imagen final de la receta Authentic Pad Thai with Prawns and Tamarind, ingredientes: Dried flat rice noodles ('Sen Lek' or 'Banh Pho', 3-5mm wide), Large raw prawns (peeled and deveined), Firm tofu (cut into small cubes), Tamarind paste (the acidic soul of the recipe), Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla - essential)

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