{"id":109871,"title":"Authentic Pad Thai","modified":"2025-10-29T15:21:23+01:00","plain":"If you\u2019re on this page, it\u2019s not because Pad Thai is unfamiliar. How could it be? It\u2019s the most famous dish in Thai cuisine\u2014and it\u2019s actually not that hard to make at home.\n\n\n\nBesides being simple, this Thai specialty will be worlds apart from the disappointing versions you often find in restaurants\u2026\n\n\n\nPad See Ew is another Thai classic\u2014a delicious cousin of Pad Thai\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not a universal rule, of course, but I\u2019ve had people tell me tomato sauce was traditional\u2014among other absurdities\u2014while charging me \u20ac20. Long story short, I\u2019m scarred for life: I\u2019ll eat Pad Thai either in Thailand or homemade.\n\n\n\nThe main ingredients of Pad Thai\n\n\n\nDark soy sauce: definitely not to be confused with light soy sauce, which you usually find in stores. You can sometimes find it there, but you\u2019ll have better luck at an Asian grocery store.\n\n\n\nDark soy has a very different flavor; it brings great depth and nuance. To learn more about the differences between soy sauces, see my full article on the topic. If you go to an Asian market, look for Healthy Boy brand \"black\" soy sauce; it\u2019s Thai, and its flavor is especially well-suited to Pad Thai.\n\n\n\nTamarind pulp: absolutely essential if you want authentic flavor. Honestly, there aren\u2019t any good substitutes for its deliciously tangy taste. Rehydrate it with boiling water, then strain it through cheesecloth.\n\n\n\nWhy not serve it with delicious beef with onions?\n\n\n\nDried shrimp: you can use the small gray variety if you like\u2014use 5x the amount and chop them. Either will work, but don\u2019t skip them. In France, dried shrimp are generally found in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge.\n\n\n\nThe flavor they add is fundamental to the final result, and you won\u2019t regret the extra few minutes it takes to incorporate them into the Pad Thai.\n\n\n\nRice noodles: definitely don\u2019t use rice vermicelli! Choose medium- to wide-width noodles; in Thailand, medium is typical. Cook them carefully\u2014you\u2019ll find all the details in the recipe\u2014but know that the final texture of the noodles is one of the most important elements of a successful Pad Thai.\n\n\n\nFish sauce: a pillar of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. It doesn\u2019t taste like fish but, like powdered dried shrimp, adds an intense umami note. I recommend Squid Brand or Ph\u00fa Qu\u1ed1c, which are among the best you can find in France.\n\n\n\nWhat to serve with Pad Thai?\n\n\n\nGenerally, it\u2019s a complete meal on its own. But why not serve Weeping Tiger beef as a starter?\n\n\n\nMy Weeping Tiger Beef recipe\u2014ideal for a cold starter\n\n\n\nTips for perfect Pad Thai\n\n\n\nFor the rice noodles used in Pad Thai, there\u2019s a simple trick that makes cooking them foolproof (and gives them that signature, authentic texture). If you prefer, you can cook the noodles according to the package, but I strongly recommend this method.\n\n\n\nIn short, the noodle cooking happens in two stages:\n\n\n\n\nSoak the noodles in hot water (not boiling, just hot) for 5\u201310 minutes. The noodles should be pliable but not fully soft\u2014this may seem counterintuitive, but you\u2019ll see. Drain and set aside.\n\n\n\nThe second stage happens in the pan as the recipe describes. Because they\u2019re only partially cooked, the noodles finish cooking in the sauce and oil of the dish. This yields an inimitable chewy-tender texture.\n\n\n\n\nIt may take a couple of tries to nail the timing and feel for when to pull them from the water, but believe me, it\u2019s worth it.\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll find another recipe using rice noodles here, and if you\u2019re not sure how to choose a soy sauce, check out my full guide to the different kinds of soy sauce\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tAuthentic Pad Thai\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tWok\t\n\t\n\t\tPad Thai Sauce6 tablespoons brown sugar4 tablespoons fish sauce40 g tamarind pulp (softened; if using tamarind concentrate, use twice the amount (in ml))120 ml boiling water (for the tamarind pulp)2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (ideally, use Thai "black" soy sauce from the brand "Healthy Boy")Other75 ml water250 g rice noodles (dry weight; pre-cooked according to the instructions in the recipe)1 pinch salt (to taste)1 teaspoon white pepper25 g dried shrimp (ground to a powder)4 garlic cloves (sliced)2 shallots (thinly sliced)3 large eggs (beaten)1 handful bean sprouts1 handful Thai chives (cut into 1 cm slices)4 tablespoons peanuts (roughly chopped)2 limes, for serving\t\n\t\n\t\tSauceIf using tamarind pulp, mix it with the boiling water. If using concentrate, skip to step 4.Break up the pulp and mix well, removing any seeds as needed.Strain the mixture through cheesecloth.Prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.Cooking the NoodlesSubmerge the noodles in hot water (not boiling, just hot) and soak for 5\u201310 min.The noodles should be pliable but not fully soft. It may seem counterintuitive, but you\u2019ll see. Drain and set aside.Stir-FryBlend the dried shrimp (or mince very finely) to a powder.Heat a saucepan or wok over medium-high with a thin layer of oil. Let it get very hot.Add the powdered dried shrimp and stir constantly for 2 minutes.Add the shallots and stir-fry for 2\u20133 minutes.Add the garlic and stir-fry for 2\u20133 minutes.Increase to high heat, add the noodles and sauce, and toss well.Add the water, mix well, and let it almost completely evaporate. A tip I learned from a chef in Thailand\u2014it gives the noodles the perfect final texture.Reduce heat to medium-high, push the noodles to one side, and add the eggs to the other. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then scramble. Fold into the noodles.Add the chives, white pepper, and bean sprouts; toss for 1\u20132 min.Serve with chopped peanuts and limes.\t\n\t\n\t\t\nFor pad thai rice noodles, there\u2019s a simple trick for perfect results (and that signature, authentic texture). If you prefer, you can cook the noodles according to the package, but I highly recommend trying this method.\n \nIn short, the noodle cooking happens in two stages:\n \n\nSubmerge the noodles in hot water (not boiling, just hot) and soak for 5\u201310 min. They should be pliable but not fully soft\u2014it may seem counterintuitive, but you\u2019ll see. Drain and set aside.\n \nThe second stage happens in the pan, as the recipe describes. Because the noodles are only partially cooked, they finish cooking in the sauce and oil, which gives them a unique texture that\u2019s truly inimitable.\n\n \nIt may take a couple of tries to nail the timing and feel for when to pull them from the water, but trust me\u2014it\u2019s worth it.\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\tPlat principalTha\u00eflandaise","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109871"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109936,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109871\/revisions\/109936"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}