Pad Thai – Original recipe of a streetfood chef

Pad Thai is probably one of the most famous dishes in Thailand. The noodle dish with shrimps, egg and tofu is quickly conjured up and is also often and gladly eaten here in Germany. In Bangkok Pad Thai is a very popular street food and probably every street cook has his or her own recipe.

During my tour through the unknown Bangkok far from tourism, I was allowed to use the wok myself. There I could learn from streetfood cook Piwmiu how to prepare Pad Thai according to the original recipe.

Preparation of the Streetfood

1. First mix the special sauce: Mix approx. 2 tbsp. tamarind paste with 2 tbsp. fish sauce and 1 tbsp. palm sugar. Put it aside for now.

2. Put the wide rice noodles in hot water to soften them, drain them after a few minutes and put them aside as well.

3. Heat oil in a wok or large pan and in the meantime dice the tofu into small pieces. How much tofu you take is up to your taste.

4. Fry the shrimps until they get their pink color. They should be about 80% cooked through. Then take the shrimps out of the wok and put them aside.

5. Fry the tofu cubes and cut the leeks into larger pieces.

6. Add a handful of rice noodles and 2 tablespoons of your mixed Pad Thai Sauce and stir well.

7. Mix in 1 tablespoon each of the chopped peanuts, the sweet radish and the dried shrimp and leave to soak for about one minute.

8. Beat the egg in the pan or wok and fry everything together.

9. Now add a hand of finely chopped leek, a handful of sprouts, the prawns set aside and a teaspoon of the dried chili flakes to the Pad Thai and mix everything again briefly. Then add the juice of half a lime.

10. As a garnish you can now add some chopped peanuts and some leek to the Pad Thai and serve it all together. Bon appetite.

Pad Thai in Bangkok – My conclusion

After my visit to Bangkok and after cook Piwmiu showed me how to do it, I can understand why Pad Thai is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand. With the right preparation, it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare a delicious streetfood.

I think that you can get most of the ingredients here in Germany as well. Fish sauce, tamarind paste and dried shrimps are available in most Asian stores or on the internet. What do you think about the Pad Thai recipe of Piwmiu? Write your opinion in the comments.

More information about Thailand and other Asian recipes can be found in these articles:

• Travel tips Ayutthaya – To the most beautiful temple ruins in Thailand
• Day tour through Taipei – A perfect day in the capital of Taiwan
• Travel tips Vietnam – Worth knowing and tips to first journey
• Bangkok Insider Tips – Away from tourism through the city
• Cao Lau from Hoi An – An unique noodle dish
• Sushiritto – Homemade Sushi Burritos