Description
Who doesn’t love a big bowl of slippery, saucy Pad Thai? This is my twist on the classic, easy to make at home. It’s got that signature sweet, salty, tangy flavour, thanks in large part to the star ingredient – tamarind paste. I’ve kept this one veggie-based, but it’s easy enough to add some extra protein if you like (think chicken or shrimp).
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 3 tablespoons sweet chilli jam
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 225g/8oz dried rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 white onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 200g/7oz sugar snap peas
- 3 eggs
- 300g/10oz bean sprouts
- 4 scallions (spring onions)
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
- A handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves
Instructions
- Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of tamarind paste, 3 tablespoons of sweet chilli jam, 3 tablespoons of fish sauce and 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce. Set aside.
- Soak your rice noodles. Rice noodles need to be soaked before you can use them – check your packet for specific instructions, but usually, they can be soaked in boiling water for about 4 minutes, before being drained and rinsed with cold water. I usually do this in a heatproof bowl and use my kettle to boil the water.
- Prep your veggies. Thinly slice your onion, crush your garlic cloves then slice your sugar snap peas into small pieces, and spring onions into large pieces. Use a fork to whisk your eggs in a mug or a small bowl.
- Cook the onion and garlic. Set a large, high-sided frying pan – or wok – over high heat, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.
- Add eggs, noodles and sauce. Push the onions and garlic to one side of the pan, then add the whisked eggs, pushing them with your spatula to gently scramble them for 30 seconds. Add the bean sprouts, sugar snap peas, noodles and the sauce, then toss vigorously for 2 minutes to combine for the noodles to soak up the sauce (I find using tongs is best for this).
- Garnish and serve. Add the chopped scallions and half the peanuts, and toss them through the noodles. Remove from the heat, divide between plates and serve with the cilantro and the rest of the peanuts scattered on top. Serve right away, with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The Pad Thai will keep for at least 3 days, stored in the fridge. Reheat it in the microwave, at 30-second intervals. Just add a splash of water if you need to loosen up the noodles a bit – they’ll continue to absorb liquid as they sit so often after they’ve been in the fridge.
INGREDIENT NOTES: Play around with your veggies here – green beans, broccoli or broccolini, baby corn or even asparagus would work well here (add them with the bean sprouts and sugar snap peas). You can also throw in firm tofu, shrimp or chicken (add them after the onion and before the eggs) – it’s also a good way to use up any leftover meat you might have.
MAKE IT VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN: Swap the fish sauce and oyster sauce for vegetarian/vegan versions – these do exist (they’re often made with mushrooms) and are the best swaps you can make here. Skip the eggs for a vegan version.
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- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: fakeawa
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300g
- Calories: 482
- Sugar: 12.95g
- Sodium: 1300mg
- Fat: 17g
- Carbohydrates: 86.32g
- Fiber: 5.5g
- Protein: 19.4g