In the West, finding a good pad thai is harder than explaining ChatGPT to your parents. Sometimes, it’s red, ketchup is cheaper than tamarind. Sometimes, the noodles look suspiciously similar to the fettuccine ones at the Italian joint next door.
You never know what you’re gonna get, and the botched dish leaves you wondering if the chef has ever thought to look up a recipe.
You, unlike the boss at the suggestive Thai restaurant next to Olive Garden, have actually done the Google search and now get to reap the benefits. This is pad thai, for real.
History of Pad Thai
First, a bit of context. Compared to some other popular Thai dishes, pad thai was actually created relatively recently, in the mid-20th century.
Chinese immigrants brought the stir-fried noodle technique to Thailand, escaping the political strife and the new communist regime in their home country. In the early-to-mid 20th century, Chinese immigration to Thailand exploded. Their cooking techniques were quickly incorporated into Thai cuisine, particularly stir-frying noodles.
During World War II, a period already marked by food shortages, a devastating flood damaged rice paddies across Thailand. It is rumoured that then-Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram decided to hold a contest for a new noodle dish that only used Thai ingredients.
These rice noodles are created from broken rice, an inexportable byproduct of the real thing. Fried noodles were heavily advertised, and government subsidies supported carts.
Some experts argue that the transition from ‘fried noodles’ to the distinct pad thai dish we know today actually didn’t come until the 60s. Thailand was an important military base for the US during the Vietnam War, and American soldiers wanted something uniquely Thai. So, fried noodles were rebranded as pad thai, despite originating largely in China.
That being said, pad thai today differs significantly from the Chinese Lo Mein or Chow Mein. Chinese fried noodles are more similar to spaghetti and are tossed with stir-fried vegetables. Chad at Tai Me Up thinks they’re the same thing, but we know better.
In Thailand, pad thai is everywhere, from Michelin-rated restaurants to street stalls. Cooks use a shallow, wide pan similar to a cast-iron skillet, an easy-replicated setup on nearly every street corner.
How is Pad Thai made
The process begins with soaking rice noodles in water for 10 to 60 minutes, depending on the size and temperature of the water. This is distinct from the Chinese process, boiling the noodles before frying them.
In a small bowl, tamarind paste, palm or brown sugar, fish sauce and oyster sauce are mixed to create the signature Pad Thai sauce.
In a separate pan, protein (usually shrimp) is seared until slightly brown.
Then, the noodles and sauce are added to seared garlic, tofu, preserved radish, chilli flakes, dried shrimp, and shallots in the pan.
@speedfoods_channelThailand’s Massive Pad thai Making Process | ผัดไทยใส่เครื่องเยอะ ตักใส่ไม่ยั้งมือเลย♬ original sound – SpeedFoods
Eggs are added to the stir fry, stirred but not scrambled. The protein, bean sprouts, and garlic chives are then added.
Lastly, it is topped with peanuts, lime, and chilli. In Thailand, you can often put these on yourself, as vendors have self-serve topping stations outside their stalls.
Authentic pad thai is hard to find, but knowing how it should be made is crucial to distinguishing whether you’ve found a good one. Maybe you can teach Chad a thing or two when you get back home!
The story The authentic pad thai recipe: how it’s actually made in Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.
