Pad Thai recipes

Making Pad Thai

The national dish of Thailand, Pad Thai has many mouthwatering variations. The protein can change from shrimp to chicken to beef to pork to tofu and the vegetables can be just about anything you have on hand or desire. Most Pad Thai also has peanuts (although these can be omitted if there is an allergy), bean sprouts, egg, and a sauce made with citrus, fish sauce, chili pepper and tamarind.

Pad Thai is relatively healthy, chock full of lean protein and vegetables, and can be made even healthier by going light on the sauce and oil, and opting for whole grain noodles. As long as you have the technique and the basic ingredients, you can make any kind of Pad Thai to suit your tastes and cravings.

Pad Thai Recipes

Chicken Pad Thai

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 (12-ounce) package rice noodles
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup peanuts, crushed
3 scallions, chopped
1 cup baby corn kernels
1 lime, quartered

Directions:
1. Soak rice noodles in cold water for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain and reserve.

2. Saute chicken in melted butter until just browned on the outside. Take chicken out of skillet and reserve.

3. Heat oil in skillet and add eggs, cooking until set. Add chicken and cook 5 to 6 minutes then add noodles.

4. Stir in vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper. Continue cooking until noodles are tender, stirring often. Mix bean sprouts, peanuts, scallions and corn into mixture and cook until heated through.

5. Spoon Pad Thai onto a serving platter and squeeze lime overtop to serve.

Shrimp Pad Thai

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
6 ounces wide rice noodles
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
6 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-1/2 cups bean sprouts
2 tablespoons peanuts, crushed
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
10 mint leaves, torn into small pieces
1 lemon, quartered

Directions:
1. Soak noodles in cold water for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain and reserve.

2. In a small bowl, stir together fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and hot sauce.

3. Saute garlic in hot oil for just a few seconds then add the shrimp and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in the fish sauce mixture then add the noodles, cooking until noodles are tender and shrimp are fully cooked.

4. Mix in the bean sprouts and cook until heated through then sprinkle with peanuts, cilantro and mint. Spoon mixture onto a serving platter and squeeze lemon juice overtop.

Tofu Pad Thai

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 (12.3-ounce) package firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 ounces wide rice noodles
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot sauce)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg white, beaten
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped
1 lemon, quartered

Directions:
1. Arrange tofu on a few layers of paper towels on a plate and top with more paper towels. Set a heavy plate on top of the tofu and let tofu sit for 30 minutes, pressing down a few times to drain water. When fully drained, cube tofu and toss gently with cornstarch.

2. Soak noodles in cold water for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain and reserve.

3. Stir ketchup with sugar, fish sauce and Sriracha. Saute tofu in 1 teaspoon of hot oil until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Take tofu out of pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in pan and add eggs and egg white, cooking until set. Take eggs out of pan and set aside.

5. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan. Add noodles and saute for 3 minutes then add ketchup mixture. Mix in eggs, stirring until well combined and heated through. Stir onions and cilantro into mixture then gently stir in tofu.

6. Spoon mixture onto a serving platter and squeeze lemon juice overtop.

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