Origins of Pad Thai
Like many, I assumed that Pad Thai was a traditional dish going back centuries. However, it turns out that it’s not even a single century old, in its current form at least. It is able to be traced back to Plaek Phibunsongkhram, who was one of Thailand’s early prime ministers. While the country was transitioning from the absolute monarchy known as Siam, into the country we now know as Thailand.
Phibun was trying to create a nation with a distinct identity that would be able to stand on its own and withstand the colonial powers on its borders. Along with encouraging people to wear a more western style of clothing, while also using traditional Thai materials. He encouraged using a knife and fork to appear more ‘civilised’ to potential oppressors. He then decided to create a national dish. This was, of course, Pad Thai.
Pad Thai means Thai stir fry. Which makes it quite obvious that it can’t be that old or traditional when you think about it. The ingredients aren’t even that Thai. Tamarind is native to Africa but will grow in Thailand. The rice noodles were another one of Phibun’s ideas. Turning the more traditional staple of rice into dried noodles extends their shelf life. Thus spanning the gaps when floods destroy the rice harvest. The use of egg, tofu and meat or shrimp was supposed to strengthen the people by giving them lots of protein.
While Phibun made this the national dish we know today. In reality, it has been around for quite a bit longer. Chinese street vendors in Thailand have been selling stir-fried noodle dishes for generations, just not called Pad Thai. In its current form, it’s been around since the 1930s. Allegedly it comes from one of Phibun’s house cooks who used to serve it to his family. But of course, that person is not important to history. It was Phibun who created the dish!
The ingredients
Tamarind is the one ingredient that really can’t be left out of Pad Thai. It’s the one that gives it that sweet and tangy flavour. It’s incredibly hard to replicate, and to be honest it’s not that hard to find (where I live at least).
When it comes to the fish sauce, I know you can buy vegan fish sauce but I haven’t yet tried it. They always seem to be expensive, do not have great reviews and are essentially a salty, umami liquid. I can replicate that with a bit of nice soy sauce and some vegan oyster sauce, sometimes called stir fry sauce. If you do know of a good vegan fish sauce that you think does a better job, please do let me know below.
While the bean sprouts are a staple of this recipe, I don’t put them in that often. If I have them on hand then I will, but I don’t go out and buy them specifically for this dish. They always come in packets containing much more than I need, and I don’t use them that much, so they often go off. I like to julienne some carrots, as I almost always have some on hand. Then drop them in at the end and they give me the nice fresh crunch that loose from omitting the bean sprouts. Also a nice pop of colour!
Cooking the tofu
There are so many different ways to prepare tofu! One of my favourites is to fry it off at high heat, throw some soy sauce in at the very end and let it caramelise. For this recipe, I like it to have a little bit of bite. I would either recommend finding some extra firm tofu as I have here. If you can’t find any then press the tofu. Wrap it up in a clean tea towel and weigh it down with some heavy books or pans.
Palm sugar
I tried making this both with and without palm sugar. It does have a different flavour, it’s a more subtle sweetness. There is almost a butterscotch aroma to it. It really is very nice. Its main purpose is to balance the dish, and for this normal sugar will also work just fine. Another thing to note is that to get the palm sugar incorporated into the sauce, you will need to melt it. I did it over a low flame to be gentle with it rather than putting it in the microwave. You will need to chop it up or grate it to get it nice and small.
If you have it on hand, and you have the time, or you are making a batch of the sauce in advance then by all means go for it. It will make it that little bit more authentic and it will taste a bit better. But, if you are looking to put this together as the quick and easy meal it can be then you don’t need it. Add a good quality sugar that you like that will dissolve at room temperature.
Pad Thai
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Wok
- 1 Pestle and mortar (optional)
- 1 Digital scale
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Kitchen knife
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 70 g Tamarind paste
- 6 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 50 g Palm sugar
- 2 Tbsp Vegan oyster sauce
- 1 Tsp Sriracha
For the dish
- 200 g Rice noodles
- 400 g Extra firm tofu
- 2 Tbsp Coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Piece Ginger
- 1/2 Red pepper
- 1/2 Carrot
- 150 g Mangetout
- 1 Lime
- 1/2 Red chilli
- 4 Pieces Spring onion
- 50 g Roasted peanuts
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan.70 g Tamarind paste, 6 Tbsp Soy sauce, 2 Tbsp Vegan oyster sauce, 1 Tsp Sriracha
- Grate the palm sugar into the sauce and slowly melt in.50 g Palm sugar
The main dish
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions and set them aside in cool water.200 g Rice noodles
- Cut the tofu into chunks and fry on high heat. Once done, drizzle over a few tablespoons of the sauce and let it sizzle and caramelise into the edges. Then set aside for later.400 g Extra firm tofu, 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- While the tofu is cooking, prepare the veg. Chop the garlic and ginger finely, julienne the carrot, slice the pepper, and chop the spring onion but keep the white and the green separate.1 Piece Ginger, 1/2 Red pepper, 1/2 Carrot, 150 g Mangetout, 4 Pieces Spring onion, 3 Cloves Garlic
- Finely chop the chili, removing the seeds and membrane if you don't like it too spicy. Pound the peanuts in the pestle and mortar, or chop with a knife.
- Add the whites of the spring onion, the garlic and the ginger to a sizling hot pan.2 Tbsp Coconut oil
- Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the mangetout and the pepper.
- Add the carrot, the sauce, the tofu and the noodles into the pan and combine.
- Serve with some crushed peanuts and red chili as garnish on top and a couple of lime wedges on the side.1 Lime, 1/2 Red chilli, 50 g Roasted peanuts
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