Sukhothai Pad Thai is a delicious dish from Thailand that can be made with chicken, pork or shrimp, or even tofu. Look for the more exotic items in the Asian foods section at your local grocery store. Adjust the pad Thai sauce ingredients to taste. But what is a Pad Thai, really? Pad Thai or phat Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish usually served as a street food and at casual local eateries in Thailand. Sukhothai Pad Thai is made with soaked dried rice noodles, which are stir-fried with eggs and chopped firm tofu, and flavored with tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic or shallots, red chili pepper and palm sugar, and served with lime wedges and often chopped roast peanuts. Pad Thai may also contain other vegetables like bean sprouts, garlic chives, coriander leaves, pickled radishes or turnips and raw banana flowers. It may also contain crab, or another proteic food. Vegetarian versions may substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce and omit the shrimp. In Vietnam, a similar dish is called “phở xào” or “bánh phở xào sa tế,” meaning “stir-fried phở”. The recipe is easier than you may think.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp 1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 4 eggs 1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch strips 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 cups ground peanuts 1 1/2 teaspoons ground, dried oriental radish 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 lime, cut into wedges
DIRECTIONS
To prepare Pad Thai sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, blend sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and tamarind pulp. To make Pad Thai: Soak rice noodles in cold water until soft; drain. In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm oil and add garlic and eggs; scramble the eggs. Add tofu and stir until well mixed; add noodles and stir until cooked.
Stir in Pad Thai sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir in peanuts and ground radish. Remove from heat and add chives and paprika. Serve Sukhothai Pad Thai with lime and bean sprouts on the side. Enjoy!