Description
Toss the takeout menus. This authentic shrimp pad Thai is a citrusy, salty, sweet-and-sour comfort food dish you can whip up at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 limes
- 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 16-oz package Thai rice noodles
- 16 raw jumbo shrimp, deveined with tails on
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, sunflower, or grapeseed), divided
- 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
- 1 small bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, divided
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup extra-firm tofu, sliced into thick matchsticks
- 1/3 cup carrots, julienned into matchsticks
- 1 cup bean sprouts, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Juice 2 limes. Cut the third into wedges for garnish.
- To make the Pad Thai sauce, whisk together the tamarind concentrate, coconut palm sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and lime juice in a small bowl. If you want your sauce to be a little spicy, add 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste. Set aside.
- Soak the dry noodles in hot water as per package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Spread the peanuts onto a baking sheet and roast, tossing once halfway through, until very fragrant and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Allow the peanuts to cool, and then finely crush them using a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle.
- Season the shrimp on both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of the oil. Sear the shrimp until they’re bright pink and a light crust forms, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
- Add 1/2 tablespoon oil to the pan, then add half of the scallions, the red onions, garlic, and tofu. Toss and stir-fry the veggies until lightly golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Add the drained noodles and stir quickly to prevent sticking. Add the pad Thai sauce, shrimp, carrots, remaining scallions, and half of the bean sprouts and continuously toss and stir-fry the mixture until everything is thoroughly coated in the sauce, about 1 minute.
- Push the noodles aside to make a small well in the center of the pan. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and then the egg. Once the white starts to cook, scramble the egg until it’s almost set, then fold it into the noodles.
- Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with the crushed peanuts, remaining bean sprouts, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and extra chili garlic paste.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Noodles
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: pad Thai, tamarind, rice noodle, peanut, shrimp