Classic Pad Thai

By patticakes

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 480; Fat (g): 20; Fat Calories (kcal): 180; Saturated Fat (g): 3; Protein (g): 14; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 5; Carbohydrates (g): 63; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 11; Sodium (mg): 1530; Cholesterol (mg): 135; Fiber (g): 4;
photo: Colin Clark

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 1/3 cup tamarind concentrate (or substitute fresh lime juice)
• 1/3 cup palm sugar (or substitute agave nectar)
• 5 Tbs. grapeseed or vegetable oil; more as needed
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup small dried shrimp, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes and drained
• 1 5-oz. cake pressed tofu, thinly sliced
• 4 large eggs
• 10 oz. medium (1/4-inch wide) rice sticks (pad thai noodles), soaked in warm water until pliable (at least 20 minutes) and drained
• 1-1/2 cups homemade or canned lower-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed, root ends trimmed (if you like)
• 1/2 cup Thai basil or cilantro, freshly torn
• 1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
• 3 scallions (white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally
• 3 fresh red Thai chiles (or other small hot red chiles), seeded and thinly sliced, or Sriracha to taste
• 1 medium lime, cut into 6 to 8 wedges

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk the fish sauce, tamarind concentrate, and palm sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a large wok, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over high heat until shimmering hot. Add the garlic and stir-fry until golden, about 15 seconds. Add the dried shrimp and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl, leaving behind as much oil as possible, and set aside. Add the tofu to the wok and stirfry until heated through and golden in spots, about 1 minute. Transfer to the bowl of shrimp and set aside.

Return the wok to high heat and add 1 Tbs.of the oil. Crack the eggs into the wok and scramble gently to break the yolks, making sure not to overmix so as to retain some yellow and white parts; cook until just set, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. If any egg residue remains in the wok, wipe it clean.

Heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil in the wok over high heat. Add the noodles, broth, and fish sauce mixture. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the noodles have completely absorbed the liquid and are sizzling, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the dried shrimp and tofu,toss a few times, and divide among plates or bowls. Garnish each serving with some scrambled egg, mung bean sprouts, basil, peanuts, scallions, and chiles. Serve hot with the lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the noodles

Variation:
Substitute 36 small fresh peeled and deveined shrimp for the dried shrimp, stir-frying them until opaque, about 1 minute.

How to Serve Pad Thai
Thai restaurants in this country often serve pad thai as a main course, but in Thailand, it’s considered a snack, typically eaten from a stool at the counter of a street food cart. (In fact, most noodle dishes in Thailand are eaten as snacks, while rice dishes tend to be main courses.)

Vendors customarily offer separate bowls of garnishes, which make the dish fun to eat. At home, you can set out mung bean sprouts, fresh herbs, lime wedges, chiles, and even a little extra palm sugar, so everyone can season the pad thai to taste.