Authentic Pad Thai

• 200g rice noodles
• 150g peeled shrimp
• 100g firm tofu
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp tamarind sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Soy sprouts
• Scallions
• Peanuts
• Peanut oil

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Soak the rice noodles in cold water for 30 minutes until they're flexible. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Mix the tamarind sauce, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Set aside.

3. 3

   Heat the wok over very high heat with vegetable oil. Sear the shrimp or chicken until golden brown.

4. 4

   Set aside, add more oil, and fry the pressed tofu in cubes until golden brown.

5. 5

   Add the drained noodles and the prepared sauce. Stir-fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes.

6. 6

   Push everything to one side, crack the eggs into the wok, and stir until they're almost set.

7. 7

   Mix everything together. Add soy sprouts, green onions, and crushed peanuts.

8. 8

   Serve with lime, more peanuts, chili, and thinly sliced scallions on the side.

💡 Chef's tip

Rice noodles should be soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, not cooked: they'll finish in the wok, and if you pre-cook them they stick. The concentrated tamarind sauce can be prepared days in advance.

📝 Our take

Pad thai is a dish of balance: tamarind brings acidity, fish sauce brings saltiness, palm sugar brings sweetness, and dried chile brings heat. Altering any of those proportions breaks the whole. A very hot wok and rice noodles that are well-soaked (but not fully cooked) are the other two critical elements. With fresh prawns, it's hard to improve.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Thai Singha or Chang beer ice cold. A dry German Riesling also works well—its acidity and residual sweetness balance the complex flavours of the dish.

Suggested wine: Riesling Spätlese alemán