Pad Thai

Rice noodles are traditional for pad Thai, but not all are created equal. You’re looking for thin, flat rice noodles that aren’t too thick, preferably made in Thailand—dried is more readily available, but fresh works too. Whichever you find, don’t boil them! Fresh can go directly into the recipe, while dried rice noodles need to be soaked in boiling water first. Remove your water from the heat and soak the dried noodles for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’re bendable but still firm. They will continue to cook in the wok with the sauce to the perfect consistency.

Pad Thai is all about the sauce, so when developing this recipe, I dove deep to find out what makes it so special, starting by spending an afternoon dissecting some take out to see what I could discover. Was that ketchup or paprika in that uninspired one? Why are some bright red, and others a darker color? What made that one so good? Here are the ingredients I learned you’ll need to make it the best–balancing acid, sugar, and salt is key in Thai cooking, so above all, taste as you go!
—Tamarind: This sour, sweet, and tangy fruit is the most important ingredient for achieving that true pad Thai flavor. For this version, we opted for tamarind puree, but tamarind paste will work too (make sure it’s a product of Thailand rather than India). If you opt for the latter, you’ll need to separate the paste from the seeds by first soaking the block in warm water, then use your fingers to remove the seeds.
—Palm sugar: Similar to coconut sugar and jaggery, palm sugar is an unrefined sugar with a slightly floral, rich caramel flavor that adds distinct flavor to pad Thai. It usually comes in a hard, solid block or disc that can seem intimidating. Simply use your box grater, microplane, or a mortar and pestle to get it to a more manageable, granulated consistency. Can’t find palm sugar? Try light brown sugar instead.
—Thai fish sauce: Also called Nam pla, Thai fish sauce is what provides the salty, rich umami flavor to pad Thai. Though fish sauce is fairly easy to find in the supermarket (technically even Worcestershire sauce counts!), for this recipe, you’ll want to source an option that says ““product of Thailand.”

The best part of making pad Thai at home? You can make it exactly the way you like it. If you’re not a shrimp fan, feel free to swap it for chicken, tofu, or stir-fried veggies. Don’t love the eggs? Leave ’em out.

“In every bite of Pad Thai, there’s a celebration of Thai cuisine—a harmonious fusion of textures and flavors that embodies the essence of Southeast Asian culinary artistry.”