Thailand · Cereal and Pasta Dishes
Tofu Pad Thai
Flat rice noodles stir-fried with pressed tofu, bean sprouts, and spring onions in a tamarind-fish sauce-palm sugar sauce, finished with crushed peanuts and lime.
Ingredients
- flat rice noodles200 g
- extra-firm tofu, pressed dry 15+ minutes, cut into 1.5 cm cubes300 g
- tamarind paste3 tbsp
- soy sauce3 tbsp
- palm sugar or light brown sugar1.5 tbsp
- neutral oil with a high smoke point2 tbsp
- garlic cloves3
- shallots2
- eggs2
- bean sprouts100 g
- scallions3
- roasted peanuts, roughly crushed40 g
- lime1
- dried chilli flakes1 tsp
Method
- 1Prepare everything before you start cooking. Pad Thai moves fast — there is no time to chop anything once the wok is hot. Soak the rice noodles in warm (not boiling) water for 20 to 30 minutes until they bend without snapping. Drain and set aside. Press the tofu: wrap in paper towels and place a heavy object on top for at least 15 minutes. Make the sauce: whisk together the tamarind paste, soy sauce, and palm sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. This is your complete flavor base — taste it. It should be sour, salty, and slightly sweet. Adjust with more tamarind for sourness or more sugar if it tastes sharp.
- 2Crisp the tofu. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over medium-high heat until you see the first wisps of smoke. Add the tofu cubes in a single layer without crowding. Do not stir for the first 2 to 3 minutes — let the side in contact with the pan form a golden crust. Turn and repeat until all sides are golden. Remove to a plate. The tofu should be dry on the outside and slightly chewy — if it's soft, the wok wasn't hot enough or the tofu wasn't pressed dry.
- 3Build the stir-fry base. Add the remaining oil to the same wok over high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and stir-fry for 60 seconds until fragrant and lightly coloured. Add the drained rice noodles and pour the sauce over them. Toss continuously with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes — the noodles will start to absorb the sauce and turn amber. If they stick, add a tablespoon of water. Push everything to one side of the wok.
- 4Scramble the eggs and combine. Crack the eggs into the cleared space in the wok. Let them sit for 10 seconds, then scramble gently until just set but still slightly wet. Fold into the noodles and toss everything together. The egg should coat the noodles in small pieces rather than forming a solid omelette.
- 5Add the remaining ingredients and serve. Add the crisped tofu, bean sprouts, spring onions, and chilli flakes. Toss for 30 to 45 seconds — just enough to warm everything through. The bean sprouts should stay slightly crunchy. Divide between two bowls immediately. Top with crushed peanuts and serve with lime wedges and extra chilli on the side. Pad Thai does not hold — eat it right out of the wok.