Oh my, how I love Pad Thai! It’s the ultimate comfort food for me. There’s just something about the tangy tamarind intermingled with the sweetness of the brown sugar and pungent fish sauce topped off with the crunch of the peanuts. This recipe was given to me by a friend in Bangkok years ago and the friends I’ve shared it with can’t believe how easy it is to make. I sometimes substitute with chicken but my favorite is this shrimp version. This recipe calls for ingredients which can all be found in most grocery stores today with the exception of tamarind juice which is available at Asian markets. You can substitute tamarind with more lime juice mixed with a touch of brown sugar if you’d like.
I’m giving away a signed copy of my new cookbook, 300 Best Rice Cooker Recipes. To enter, just comment on this post below and name one of your favorite Thai dishes you’d like me to feature on my blog. I’ll be picking a winner at random this Friday!
12 medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 teaspoon salt
1 package rice noodles
1⁄4 cup tamarind juice (3/4 tablespoons tamarind paste dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water)
1 1⁄2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 oz. firm tofu, cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup bean sprouts
1⁄4 cup unsalted peanuts, crushed
sprigs of fresh cilantro and lime wedges