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Shrimp Pad Thai

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Chef Jam Sanitchat says this is the most popular dish on the menu at Austin’s Thai Fresh—make it yourself to find out why.

By Jam Sanitchat
Mar 21, 2023
Jump to the Recipe
45 Minutes
2 Servings
Medium

From Chef Jam Sanitchat of Thai Fresh in Austin, this recipe for Shrimp Pad Thai allows you to skip the takeout and make it your own. With a flavorful sauce  made from simple ingredients widely available online, or at H Mart and other Asian grocers, Thai Fresh’s best-selling dish is an easy meal to throw together for lunch, dinner, or whenever the craving strikes, and our 6 QT Stainless Clad Rondeau helps it all come together. It’s the perfect recipe to adjust to your taste—substitute chicken for the shrimp, or make it vegetarian by doubling the amount of tofu.

For a vegetarian (fish sauce-free) pad Thai sauce, mix together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoon palm sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 3 tablespoons tamarind water—or sub in a vegan fish sauce.

Note: To make roasted Thai chile flakes, dry roast a few small Thai chiles in a small Stainless Clad Frying Pan over medium heat, tossing and stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Alternatively, toast them in a 350F oven for 2–5 minutes. Pulse chiles in a small food processor or spice grinder, or pulverize in a molcajete, until small flakes form.

Shrimp Pad Thai

Chef Jam Sanitchat says this is the most popular dish on the menu at Austin’s Thai Fresh—make it yourself to find out why.

Jam Sanitchat

45 Minutes
2 Servings
Medium
Ingredients
  • For the Noodles:
  • 8 ounces large dried rice stick noodles
  • For the tamarind water:
  • ¼ cup tamarind pulp or 2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
  • For the pad thai sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind water (see above)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Pad thai and assembly:
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, plus more for frying
  • 4 ounces extra- firm tofu, pressed to remove extra liquid, cut into ½” cubes
  • 1 teaspoon minced shallots
  • 8 large shrimp (about 8 ounces)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon minced preserved salted radish
  • ⅛ teaspoon roasted Thai chile flakes, or substitute crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • ½ cup chopped Chinese chives, sliced in 2-inch long segments, or substitute scallions, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts and lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
    1.

    Prepare the noodles: Soak noodles in cold tap water for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. Drain noodles and reserve. Soaked and drained noodles can be kept  in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

    2.

    Make the tamarind water: If using tamarind pulp, add ¼ cup pulp to ½ cup water in a small bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Smash with a spatula or your fingers and press through a fine mesh sieve in a second small bowl to collect the liquid . Return any pulp that remains in sieve to first bowl and add a few more Tbsp. water to dilute again. Press again until you have about 1 cup tamarind water. If using tamarind concentrate, dilute 2 tsp. concentrate with 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. warm water and stir to combine

    3.

    Make the pad thai sauce: Add  fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind water, and granulated sugar, to a Butter Warmer and heat over medium. Simmer, stirring, until  sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and reserve.

    4.

    Fry the tofu: Fill a 2 QT Stainless Clad Saucepan with about 1 inch cooking oil. Heat over high until hot and shimmering on surface (but not smoking). Working in batches if necessary, carefully add cubed tofu with a spider or slotted spoon and cook until barely golden brown and floating to the surface, 2–3 minutes.

    5.

    Make the pad thai: Make sure all your ingredients are prepped and ready to go. Heat a 6 QT Stainless Clad Rondeau over medium-high until hot. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add 2 Tbsp. oil. Fry shallots until fragrant and colored, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and stir-fry until  partially cooked, about 1 minute. Add fried tofu and stir.

    6.

    Spread proteins to side and crack eggs in middle of Rondeau. Scramble slightly, breaking up the yolks a little without fully incorporating into the whites, and then fry until barely set, about 30 seconds. Scrape egg into proteins to incorporate.

    7.

    Stir in salted radish and Thai chile flakes to combine. Add noodles and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Turn up heat to medium-high and stir-fry until noodles are  softer and turning translucent and brown in color, about 3 minutes.

    8.

    Keep folding noodles over until they are soft and brown. Do not break up noodles. Add prepared pad thai sauce and stir for a few minutes. Fold in bean sprouts and chives until wilted.

    9.

    To serve, top noodles with crushed peanuts, additional chives, and a lime wedge.

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