Pad Thai is one of the most popular noodle dishes around - it's aromatic, fresh and easy to make. It's also easy to make a vegetarian version - just omit the shrimps and prawns.
Pad Thai - serves 2
Ingredients for Pad Thai
- 100g dried rice stick noodles
- 200g fresh prawns, peeled
- 100g bean sprouts
- 100g shrimps, peeled
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 smashed garlic cloves
- 2 spring onion greens, chopped
- 3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes or cayenne
- 1 tbsp palm or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, lightly crushed
- 2 tbsp coriander sprigs
- 1 lime, quartered
Instructions for making Pad Thai
- Soak the noodles in boiling water and leave for 15 minutes, or until al dente. Then rinse with cold water and drain
- Stir in 1 tsp of oil to coat the noodles and prevent them from sticking
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and pour in the beaten eggs. Swirl to make a thin omelette. Turn it out, cut it into strips and set aside
- Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the garlic, shrimp and prawns and toss on a high heat. Set the cooked seafood aside
- Add the noodles, omelette strips, bean sprouts, spring onions, fish sauce, ketchup, lime juice, chilli and sugar, tossing constantly over high heat
- Mix in the prawns and shrimp
- Scatter with crushed peanuts, coriander leaves and quartered limes to serve
Tips for making Pad Thai
- Omit the chillies if you're serving to kids or someone with a delicate palette!
- The most important part of this recipe is getting the noodle texture right. They should be flexible and solid, not soft and mushy.