Mains
Thai
ThaiPad Thai
Thailand's famous stir-fried rice noodles, from a quick chicken version using a jarred sauce to an authentic prawn pad thai with tamarind, palm sugar and pickled radish.
Dairy-free
Ultimate version
Street-style prawn pad thai with a cooked tamarind-palm sugar sauce, dried shrimp, pickled radish and garlic chives.
Per serving£7.40
Total cost£14.80
Time42 min
Ingredients for 2
- 160 g Thai chantaboon rice noodles
- 200 g raw tiger prawns , peeled, heads reserved
- 80 g pressed tofu , diced
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp , soaked
- 2 tbsp sweet pickled radish , chopped
- 2 egg
- 50 g garlic chives , in 4cm lengths
- 120 g beansprouts
- Sauce
- 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate
- 50 g palm sugar , shaved
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- To serve
- 40 g roasted peanuts , crushed
Method
- Soak the noodles in cool water for 30 minutes until flexible but firm, then drain. Gently melt the palm sugar with the tamarind and fish sauce into a glossy syrup and reserve.
- Heat a wok until smoking, fry the tofu and dried shrimp in oil, then add the prawns and sear until just pink; remove.
- Add the noodles with a splash of water and most of the sauce, tossing constantly so they soften and absorb the syrup.
- Push the noodles aside, crack in the eggs, let them set briefly, then fold through the noodles.
- Return the prawns, tofu and shrimp, add the pickled radish, garlic chives and most of the beansprouts and toss for 1 minute.
- Taste and adjust with extra sauce, then plate and top with crushed peanuts, raw beansprouts and chilli flakes.
Equipment
- carbon steel wok
The three ways, side by side
Budget
Chicken and rice noodles tossed in a shop-bought pad thai sauce with peanuts.
Better
A homemade tamarind and fish sauce dressing with prawns, tofu and fresh aromatics.
Ultimate
Street-style prawn pad thai with a cooked tamarind-palm sugar sauce, dried shrimp, pickled radish and garlic chives.
