Back in March, when the pandemic was just beginning, our local Whole Foods pasta aisle had been cleared out almost completely — except for a bunch of boxes of Annie’s brown Pad Thai rice noodles, which sat on the bottom shelf like unwanted orphans. It seemed that no one knew how to make Pad Thai at home — even though, according to Uber Eats, it’s been the second-most ordered dish since the pandemic began (after French fries!).
I’d made the dish occasionally in the past, but I wasn’t an expert in it — until I recently reconnected with my friend, celebrity pastry chef Pichet Ong @pichetong, who shared his amazing Pad Thai recipe. It contains some surprising ingredients — pineapple, for example — and lots of fish sauce, that magical umami-boosting ingredient. Join Pichet and me to make this dish this Sunday July 19th at 1:30PM Eastern Time (U.S./Canada East Coast). Register by emailing classes@blacksesamekitchen.com and we’ll send you the Zoom info.
Pichet’s Pad Thai
Serves 4
1/2 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup scallions, cut 1” long, green and white separated
12-16 large shrimp, deveined, rinsed under cold water, drained dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
4 eggs
8 ounces uncooked flat rice noodles, soaked in cold water for 10 mins, and drained
1 cup bean sprouts
3 tablespoons, roasted peanuts, chopped
Pad Thai sauce, see below
Optional but highly recommended additions:
¼ lb smoked tofu, diced into ¼ inch cubes
¼ cup dried shrimp, minced small, soaked in cold water for 10 mins, and drained
6 tablespoons salted radish, drained dry in paper towel
Pad Thai sauce
2/3 cup fresh pineapple chunks
8 cloves garlic
4 whole shallots
4 tablespoon Thai chili paste
4 tablespoons shrimp paste (optional)
1 cup tamarind concentrate (Laxmi brand preferred)
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more when serving
2 tablespoons apple cider or rice vinegar
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon white pepper
For the Pad Thai Garnish:
Chopped roasted peanuts
Ground dried chili flakes (optional)
Brown sugar (optional)
Cilantro, chopped (optional)
1. Make the Pad Thai Sauce
Using a stick handblender, process all the ingredients for the Pad Thai sauce in a bowl until smooth. Ideally, let it sit for 2 hours before using for flavors to infuse. It will keep up to 5 days in refrigerator.
2. At the Wok
Heat saute pan or wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and cook garlic and white scallion pieces until translucent and wilted. Transfer to a bowl.
Heat saute pan or wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoon of oil and cook shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt and white pepper until translucent. Transfer to the bowl of aromatics.
Heat saute pan or wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and eggs with remaining salt and scramble until well done. Push to the side, add the dried shrimp, tofu, and radish and saute for a minute, and mix in with the scrambled egg and cook until eggs are golden and mixture is fragrant. Transfer all to the same bowl.
Heat saute pan or wok over hight heat. Add remaining oil, and cook drained noodles and sauté until softened. Add 1+1/4 cup of Pad Thai sauce and continue cooking and stirring until slightly carmelized. Stir in bean sprouts, green onions, and shimp/egg mixture, and cook until dry.
Transfer mixture onto 2 serving plates, garnish with peanuts and the optional garnish toppings. Serve immediately.