You absolutely can make Pad Thai at home that is every bit as delicious and flavorful as the Pad Thai you've had in Asian restaurants! It's a simple noodle stir fry, made with accessible ingredients.
3tablespoonschopped dried shrimpoptional; available at Asian specialty markets
Red pepper flakes to tasteplus more to serve if desired
3tablespoonsfinely chopped roasted peanutsplus more to serve, if desired
1cupbean sproutsplus more to serve, if desired
Instructions
Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot or warm water to cover until they are soft (follow package directions). Drain the noodles.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the tofu cubes and sauté until they are golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, set them aside, and wipe out the skillet.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté the shrimp until they are just turning pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, set them aside, and wipe out the skillet. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, and the lime juice, and set the sauce aside.
When the noodles have been drained, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, and heat over medium high heat. Add the shallots, and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring, for one more minute. Add the beaten eggs, and stir until cooked, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and tofu, and stir to combine and heat through. Stir in the sautéed shrimp, sauce, scallions, dried shrimp, and red pepper flakes. Toss over the heat for a minute, then transfer the Pad Thai to a serving dish.
Sprinkle the Pad Thai with the peanuts and bean sprouts, and pass small bowls of additional peanuts, sprouts, and red pepper flakes at the table if you'd like.
Notes
Fish sauce is usually made from just anchovies fermented in salt, and the initial fragrance can be intimidating. But the strong aroma fades during cooking, and a little bit adds fantastic, deep savory flavor with some saltiness. It’s like soy sauce meets Worcestershire sauce, and it’s a great key ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking.