Pad Thai, a stir-fried rice noodle dish, was declared the national dish of Thailand in the 1930s. This move was part of a campaign to foster national identity and boost agriculture and rice exports, particularly during periods of rice scarcity.
The dish comprises rice noodles, eggs, and tofu, all stir-fried with a sauce made from tamarind, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Celebrity chef Rick Stein shared his method for this classic dish on the BBC Food website. He said: “I wrote this recipe after a trip to a tofu factory just outside Leeds – it’s based on a pad Thai I filmed years ago in Bangkok at a stall by the Ghost Gate.
“This recipe is aromatic, with that perfect sweet-sour-salty-spicy blend of flavours.”
Stein’s recipe serves two to three people and can be prepared in less than half an hour. To start, boil a saucepan of water, add 175g of Thai folded rice noodles and cook for about three minutes or until just tender, reports LiverpoolEcho.
Drain them thoroughly, rinse with cold water, then drain again and toss in a teaspoon of oil to prevent them from sticking together. Set aside.
Combine the following ingredients in a small bowl, then set aside:
- Two tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
- Two tablespoons of tamarind water
- Half a teaspoon of chilli flakes
- Two tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce
- One tablespoon of palm sugar or brown soft sugar
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok and fry 200g of tofu (cut into 11⁄2cm cubes) in batches until golden-brown all over. Remove the tofu and keep it warm.
Add the other two tablespoons of oil to the wok. Stir-fry one grated garlic clove for 10 seconds, then add the drained noodles and stir-fry for one minute.
Shift the noodles to one side, add two whisked eggs and scramble them at the base of the wok.
Pour in the bowl of sauce and blend it with the noodles, then add 50g beansprouts, one tablespoon dried shrimp (optional), the fried tofu, four spring onions (halved and shredded lengthways), a small handful of chopped coriander and 50g coarsely chopped roasted peanuts. Stir thoroughly and allow everything to heat up.
Distribute between warmed bowls and top with additional chilli flakes, lime wedges and some coriander leaves.
