What is Pad Thai
Pad thai is a popular Thai dish that can be prepared with a variety of ingredients. The word pad means “fried” and the word Thai means “dish.”
This dish is best prepared with rice noodles, stir-fried with eggs and tofu, seasoned with tamarind sauce and fish sauce, and topped with fresh bean sprouts, ground peanuts, chopped scallions, and limes.
The noodles are usually fried in a wok or deep frying pan by the cook, while the other ingredients are added after the noodles have been cooked for about 5 minutes. The cook continues to stir-fry until all ingredients are mixed together.
Rise in Popularity
Pad Thai became popular after World War II because it was an inexpensive dish that could be made using only a handful of ingredients and could provide Thai people with plenty of nutrients. Further, during the war, there was a shortage of rice but noodles were plentiful, easy to find, and fulfilling. While Pad Thai become a popular staple food and one of the countries national food in Thailand it gained increasing popularity in the US in the ’60s and undoubtedly made its way north of the border. In fact, Thai food consistently ranks among the top five most consumed and popular ethnic foods. What makes Pad Thai the most popular of all Thai dishes could be attributed to taste, ease of preparation, low cost, and high availability as street food. It is a dish that hits all the flavorful notes – sour, sweet, bitter, salty and umami.
How to prepare Pad Thai
Pad Thai can be prepared by following these steps:
1. Soak the dry noodles in water for 15 minutes until soft
2. Fry ground pork until golden brown 2. Add vegetables such as onion, carrots, green beans, red pepper and garlic
3. Then add shrimp paste
4. Add sugar to taste
5. Add fish sauce to taste 6. Mix all the ingredients well together in a pan or wok
7- Drain the soaked rice noodles
Summary
Pad Thai is a popular Southeast Asian dish that is a healthy, nutritious, and tasty meal. It is typically made from rice noodles, fish sauce, tamarind paste, palm sugar, red chili pepper, and other ingredients.
In the western world, it’s typically eaten as a takeaway or as a dinner party dish. In Thailand, it can be found as street food as well as in restaurants and food stalls.
