Thailand is renowned not only for its paradisiacal landscapes and magnificent fortified temples, but also for its local cuisine, which attracts tourists from all over the world thanks to its freshness, spiciness and attractive aroma. Among these delights, Pad Thai stands out, a national dish that skillfully combines rice noodles with a rich, little-known sauce. Let’s discover this emblematic dish with Thai Unika Travel!

Brief History of Pad Thai

In the 1930s, King Plaek Phibunsongkhram, then known as Phibun, came to power. In order to renew and develop the country, he made many changes during his reign, such as changing the country’s name from Siam to Thailand, choosing a national anthem and finding a unique dish, and Pai Thai became the country’s signature dish.

Pad Thai is strongly influenced by foreign cultures, particularly China. However, as a carefully selected dish, Pad Thai still has its own identity. The special factor that has created a dish famous throughout Thailand is the wonderful taste of the sauce. It’s balanced by a combination of sour, sweet, spicy and salty. A dish that everyone who has eaten it will remember.

Pad Thai ingredients

Pad Thai is a healthy dish and people are encouraged to use them in main meals as a way to protect people’s health. The ingredients of Pad Thai are very diverse, besides the main ingredients being rice noodles, fresh prawns and tofu, it is also enriched with chicken, beef, vegetables, bean sprouts and eggs.

The secret to make the dish more delicious is the recipe and the spices used. This is also a dish placed in the Thai diet, because it is nutritious, easy to prepare, non-greasy and without fear of getting bored. In particular, there are four main ingredients that cannot be ignored, which are the sweetness of fresh shrimp, the spicy flavor of dried chili, the aroma of shallot leaves and the pungent flavor of banana flowers.

Home-made Pad Thai

Ingredients

Rice noodles, shrimp, bean sprouts, tofu, sugar, fish sauce, tamarind sauce, herbs, shallot leaves, egg, seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, fresh chili, paprika, red onion, lime and peanut beans. You can add beef and chicken breast, some carrots and vegetables if desired.

First step

Soak rice noodles for 15 minutes, peel shrimp, chop garlic, scallions finely and chop scallion. For the fried tofu, cut into small cubes. Crispy roasted peanuts, peeled and crushed.

Make sauce

Make the sauce from a recipe that includes 2 tablespoons tamarind sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Put everything in a bowl and mix until everything is dissolved and blended.

How to prepare Pad Thai

Heat a pan with a little oil and sauté the garlic until fragrant. Next, put the shrimp in the pan to cook again, add the pho and tofu and stir well. Crack the eggs into the skillet and continue to stir until the eggs are solid. Spoon the mixed sauce into the skillet, perhaps adding a little water to prevent the skillet from sticking. Finally, add the scallions and chives, mix well and pour into a dish.

Addresses offering delicious Pad Thai in Thailand

Pad Thai Thip Samai

• Address: 313 315 Maha Chai Street, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
• Opening Hours: 09:00 – 00:00 (Wednesday to Sunday)

Pad Thai Thip Samai is considered the birthplace of Pad Thai with 50 years of experience in the profession. This is also one of the best Pad Thai places in Bangkok today. The restaurant serves mainly Pad Thai dishes with different recipes and presentations.

In particular, you can opt to try the Pad Thai stir-fried with fresh tiger prawn meat, wrapped in a thin hot golden tortilla for 90 baht. Also, don’t forget to ask for a glass of their great fresh orange juice, which is much appreciated here.

Nara

• Address: 991 Rama I Street, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
• Opening Hours: 11:00 – 22:00

Nara is a restaurant that specializes in serving Thai-style dishes, which is very popular with tourists when they visit. Like other Thai restaurants, Pad Thai always has an indispensable place on the menu. However, Pad Thai in Nara is more prominent when it is highly appreciated by customers.

Here are two kinds of pad thai on the menu, one is fried shrimp noodles with tamarind sauce and fried egg, the other is fried noodles with more special ingredients by adding lemon leaves, orange leaves and banana flower flavor. In addition, when you come to Nara, you will enjoy many other attractive dishes such as curry, spicy salad, Thai soup and coconut ice cream.

The Family

• Address: 1 6 Prachathipatai Street, Khwaeng Ban Phan Thom, Khet Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
• Opening Hours: 11:30 am – 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm

The Family is a family restaurant, served by friendly and enthusiastic people and good quality food. Pad Thai dishes are placed in bowls and plates of different shapes.

In addition to meat recipes, there are also vegetarian Pad Thai dishes with lots of green vegetables, which are fresh and brightly colored. In addition, The Family’s laid-back atmosphere is also a plus for attracting visitors.

Ama

• Address: 270 – 272 Maha Rat Street, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand
• Opening Hours: 11:00 – 17:45
• Reference Price: 100 – 200 Bath ($2.84 – $5.67)

Ama is a restaurant that is not too fancy, the menu is not too rich, but the quality of the Pad Thai here is highly appreciated. Not only is it beautifully presented, it is also meticulously cooked, very delicious.

In particular, Ama also serves vegetarian Pad Thai for vegetarians and vegans. They still ensure the beauty, freshness of the vegetables and rich flavor even without the addition of meat.

Considered the national dish of Thailand, Pad Thai is often present in the daily meals of locals, in markets, street restaurants and even in luxury stores. Even restaurants in Asia and some European countries also serve this dish. So if you have the chance to come to this country, don’t miss this dish!