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–+ servings
A futuristic Cyberpunk-style food photo showing a plate of Pad Thai in the foreground. Small bowls with toppings, glowing chopsticks, and a large wok surround it.
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4 from 1 vote

Shrimp Pad Thai

Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 2 people

Equipment

  • 1 mortar for crushing the peanuts optional

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 0.5 tsp chili flakes plus more for serving
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar or palm sugar
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce

Stir-fry

  • 150 g Pad Thai noodles dry weight
  • 100 g firm tofu
  • 12 large shrimp raw
  • 1 egg large
  • 40 g mung bean sprouts fresh
  • 60 g Thai pickled radish sub zha cai
  • 30 g garlic chives (aka Chinese chives) about 6 stalks
  • 200 ml water
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 shallot or small onion
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil

For garnish

  • 13 g peanuts
  • 0.5 lime

Instructions

Ahead of time

  • If making your own pickled radish (or similar), do it at least a day before.
  • If using frozen shrimp, let them thaw at room temperature for about two hours ahead of cooking.

Prepare garnish

  • Crush the peanuts, e.g. in a mortar. Don't overdo it, leave some bigger chunks.
  • Heat up a small pan without any oil. Add the peanuts and roast them until lightly browned.
  • Quarter the lime.
  • Set lime and peanuts aside for garnish at the table.

Prepare ingredients

  • Put the noodles into a large bowl and pour boiling water over them until completely covered. Let them sit for about 5 minutes, then drain the water.
    (May need to adjust the timings based on package instructions. They should be about half-done before being added to the wok. Notes on getting the right done-ness above!)
  • Mentally add "… and set aside, ready to be thrown into the wok" to all the following preparation steps.
  • Stir all the sauce ingredients together until well-combined.
  • Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes.
  • Crush and/or roughly chop the garlic.
  • Cut the shallot or onion into thin wedges.
  • Chop the garlic chives into 3cm long pieces.
  • Finely chop the Thai pickled radish (or zha cai).
  • Set the pre-measured water as well as the egg aside.
  • Wash the mung bean sprouts and pat dry.

Fry

  • Heat the oil in a wok at high heat.
  • After a minute or two, throw in the garlic. It should only take a few seconds to brown.
  • Add the onion wedges and fry for a few more seconds.
  • Crack the egg and add it to the wok. Drop it from a low height to avoid splashing hot oil everywhere.
  • Stir to scramble the egg and fry for a few seconds. Keep occasionally stirring and/or rocking the wok from here on out.
  • Add the tofu and shrimp.
  • Add the noodles, then stir in the prepared sauce.
  • Add about half the water and keep stirring until it's reduced to a sticky sauce.
  • Try a noodle, it should be very close to done now. If not, carefully keep adding water until they are.
  • Add the garlic chives and mung bean sprouts, stir for no more than a minute.
  • Spread to bowls or plates and serve hot. Serve peanuts, lime wedges, and chili flakes on the side.