i am a food blog

Mike and I are currently road tripping and camping and it’s been a hilarious trip so far, with me trying to eat keto (my car snacks are macadamia nuts and carb free cheese crips) and various things breaking down that need to be fixed. Still, we’re having an awesome time. There’s something about being in a car that forces you to have deep conversations that you might not otherwise have. Conversations about things like your feelings on roadside attractions (both in favor) and pad Thai.

I’m a huge fan of pad Thai. I’m sure you’ve had it, but if you haven’t, pad Thai is a combination of rice noodles, palm sugar, tamarind, fish sauce, and crushed chilis. It’s dish that’s balanced between sweet and savory, sour and spicy. At it’s heart, it’s street food but it’s been elevated too. It’s a noodle dish I think everyone has at least heard of, if not a dish that everyone loves.

It’s also a dish that has a lot of different variations, especially between America and Thailand. If you go to Thailand expecting a dish similar to what you get in America, you’ll be surprised. The thing about authentic pad Thai is, it’s not quite like what you’ll find at your local delivery/takeout joint. Namely, it’s not red and it doesn’t have any ketchup in it.

Traditional Pad Thai sauce is actually really simple: tamarind, sugar (usually coconut palm sugar), and fish sauce. That’s it. It’s tangy, sweet, and deeply savory all at the same time. While pad Thai in Thailand might differ in ingredients – some might have eggs, some might have dried shrimp, some might have peanuts, some might have tofu – the thing that stays consistent is the sauce. Bonus, the sauce is an easy three ingredient affair.

If you make a lot of Thai or Vietnamese food you’ll probably have fish sauce at home. Tamarind paste on the other hand, is a little bit more specific. Thankfully, you can easily find tamarind paste (it comes in a jar) in Asian grocery stores or on amazon. It’s what adds that unique tangy taste to pad Thai. If you don’t want to buy it and you’re not picky about authenticity, I’ve heard that a mix of ketchup and rice vinegar can kind of come close. I haven’t tried that though, so I’m not sure about it.

What is definitely optional are the roasted peanuts. In Thailand, they’re often served on the side for you to garnish with as you like, along with a little bit of sugar, chili, powder, lime, and fish sauce. Mike’s allergic so when we’re eating out, we always have our pad Thai without, but when we’re eating out but at home, we like to add chopped roasted cashews for a little nutty creamy crunch.

Happy pad Thai-ing!

20 Minute Peanut Free Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe

Make better than take out chicken and shrimp pad Thai right at home. Sweet, salty, savory – pad Thai is universally loved and for good reason. Forget delivery and customize your Pad Thai just the way you like it – this one had no peanuts!

Serves 2

4.78 from 9 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate paste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 ounces pad Thai noodles
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 shallot sliced
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 chicken thigh cut into bite size pieces
• 5-6 prawns
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 green onion cut into 2 inch lengths
• chopped roasted cashews to finish
• crushed chili to finish
• lime wedges to finish

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, tamarind paste, and fish sauce with 1/4 cup water. Taste and adjust. The sauce should be balanced between sweet, sour, and savory.
  
• Soften the noodles in warm water until just pliable – they will continue to cook in the pan. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil over medium high heat in large work or nonstick frying pan. Add the shallot and and garlic cook briefly, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp and cook, tossing.
  
• Push the chicken and shrimp to one side and if the pan is dry, add a bit of oil. Add the eggs to the space in the pan and scramble, cooking until mostly set, but still a bit runny.
  
• Turn up the heat and add the noodles (just grab them out of the water and add to the pan) and the sauce, tossing quickly, making sure the sauce coats all of the noodles. If the pan looks dry, add a bit of water, a tablespoon at a time until the noodles are nice and saucy.
  
• Turn off the heat and stir in half of the bean sprouts and half of the green onions, tossing until soft.
  
• Serve topped with chopped cashews, extra bean sprouts, green onions, crushed chili, and lime to squeeze. Enjoy hot!