Pad Thai is probably one of the most popular Thai dishes out there. Loaded with oodles of noodles tossed with shrimp, egg, and veggies, it is a delicious Thai dish to bring to your table.
When my family visited Chiang Mai, Thailand last year, one thing we couldn't seem to get enough of was pad thai. Besides it being ridiculously cheap (as was all the food we ate there), it was just really REALLY good.
I even signed us up for a cooking class where we made...you guessed it...pad thai!
As it seems with all the cooking classes we've ever taken during our travels, every dish we make is so easy. All the dishes we're taught to make come together quickly, simply, and taste great. The pad thai at this cooking class was no exception, and it seemed simple enough to make in class that I couldn't wait to make it at home!
Well...
...as has also been the case with almost every cooking class recipe, the dishes do not work out so quickly or as easily, and usually taste MEH.
It has seriously made me wonder if what they're teaching us in the class is the same as the recipes they're actually sending us home with!!
Anyway, let's just say that this shrimp pad thai recipe didn't work on the first try with the recipe given by the cooking class. It also didn't work on the second or third or fourth try either with my recipe modifications.
My family had to eat a whole lot of pad thai as I tried to sort my way through this recipe...to the point of risking pad thai fatigue. I never thought that could be possible! Instead of "Yay!", I got "AGAIN???" 🙂
But I was determined.
And I FINALLY got it! Practice makes perfect!
Tender shrimp and soft scrambled eggs tossed with vegetables and noodles in a flavorful sauce. It's SO awesome. I went through a whole lot of work to get here, but I'm so glad I did. It is a taste of Thailand I am thrilled to be able to recreate in my own kitchen, and now you can, too!
And yes, now that I finally figured it out and I'm not experimenting every few days with the recipe, they are back to "Yay!" 🙂
If you're interested in reading about our trip and the cooking class that inspired me, check out A Day Out In Chiang Mai, Thailand!
~ Lisa.
Shrimp Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 300 g dry rice pad thai noodles (see note below)
- ½ lb. (227g) shelled and deveined shrimp
- 3 eggs
- 1 small carrot, julienned
- 1-2 stalks green onion, cut into 2" lengths
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbs light olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup tamarind paste (or lime juice)
- ⅓ cup oyster sauce (see note below for gluten-free version)
- 3 tbs coconut sugar
- 3 tbs fish sauce
- 3 tbs soy sauce (tamari or liquid aminos for gluten-free)
Optional garnishes:
- Bean sprouts
- Chopped peanuts
- Dried chili flakes or chili powder
- Lime wedges
- Chopped green onion
Instructions
- Soak dry pad thai noodles in hot water for about 45 minutes to soften.
- Drain noodles well and set aside.
- Mix sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
- Crack eggs into a bowl and scramble with a fork. Set aside.
- In a large wok or skillet, heat light olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add garlic and carrots and cook about 1 minute.
- Add shrimp, stir-frying until cooked through.
- Move ingredients to one side of the pan and pour in the scrambled eggs. Stir the eggs to cook until just done.
- Add pad thai noodles and sauce to the pan.
- Stir-fry all ingredients to mix well.
- Add the green onion and stir to combine.
- Cook until noodles soften and sauce is almost, but not completely soaked up, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving dish and add optional garnishes, if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- You'll find pad thai noodles in the dry noodle section of your local Asian supermarket. They might be called pad thai noodles, or they might just be called rice noodles. Either way, they should be white in color and the noodles should be about the width of linguine noodles.
- I use Kikkoman gluten-free oyster sauce which, besides being gluten-free, also had a better list of ingredients than the more common brands. However, feel free to use whatever brand is easily available or works best for you.
- We've eaten at restaurants where the pad thai is cooked with chicken or pork instead of shrimp. While I haven't tried that myself yet, I would cut the chicken or pork into small strips and then just make sure to cook it a minute longer before adding the egg to the pan.
- Do not worry if the pad thai still looks a bit saucy in the pan even after the noodles have softened. The noodles will continue to soak up the liquid, even after it has been removed from the heat. So don't cook it until the sauce goes dry!
Nutrition
Kristen
This is my kind of dish, and we often seem to have the ingredients in house. Looks delicious!
Thanks, Kristen! I think noodles of any kind are my kind of dish. 🙂
Colleen
We love Pad Thai, and yours looks delicious with shrimp. Your detailed instructions are awesome, too. We are excited to be going on a trip to Thailand in January, where I know we'll be eating lots of this yummy dish. This recipe will give us some "practice eating" before then. 🙂
Thanks, Colleen! You will love Thailand...lots of amazing delicious food for ridiculously cheap!
Cathy
This looks so good I must try it! I'm glad that you didn't give up!
Thanks, Cathy. I hope you like it!
Elaine
Pad Thai is a favourite dish in our house. Thanks for your detailed instructions!! One thing I've learned about foodie travel is that food always tastes better when eaten in its home country. Must be the terroir!
It must be, Elaine! And in some cases, it's obviously easier to make in the home country, too! 😉
Bernice Hill
Your Pad Thai looks amazing...and not every one puts a legit sauce recipe either. Dinner plans made!
Thanks so much, Bernice!