Woon-sen Pad Thai Recipe

Soak noodles

Place dried rice stick noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm (not boiling) water. Soak 6–8 minutes until pliable but not fully soft. Drain and set aside.

Prepare tamarind

In a small bowl, stir tamarind paste with 2 tbs hot water to loosen; mix until smooth. Set aside with remaining sauce ingredients for later.

Cook shrimp and aromatics

Heat a large wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs vegetable oil. When shimmering, add shrimp in a single layer and sear 30–45 seconds per side until just pink. Remove shrimp to a plate and keep warm.

Sauté shallot, garlic and tofu

Add remaining 1 tbs vegetable oil to the hot wok. Add thinly sliced shallots and sauté 1–2 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cubed tofu (if using) and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and tofu edges are lightly browned.

Add noodles and sauce

Push aromatics to one side of the wok, add drained noodles. Pour prepared sauce (tamarind mixture, palm sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, chile) over noodles. Toss and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, gently breaking up noodles and coating them with sauce. If noodles are still firm, add 1–2 tbs warm water to help finish cooking.

Finish with eggs and shrimp

Push the noodle mixture to one side, crack the eggs into the empty side and scramble them briefly until just set, then incorporate into the noodles. Return cooked shrimp to the wok, add bean sprouts and half the chives, and toss 30–60 seconds until everything is evenly combined and heated through. Taste and adjust: more fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweetness, or lime for brightness.

Add final touches

Remove from heat. Stir in crushed roasted peanuts and the remaining chives. Squeeze lime over the mixture to taste.

Lay four betel leaves flat, vein-side down, on a serving platter. Using a spoon, divide the warm Pad Thai mixture into four small mounds (about 1/4 of the cooked filling per leaf). Place 3 shrimp on each leaf for presentation if desired.

Garnish each leaf with a small sprinkle of extra crushed peanuts, a few bean sprouts, and a couple of cilantro leaves if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges alongside for extra acidity.

To eat, fold or roll the betel leaf around the filling like a small hand roll and enjoy as a bite-sized appetizer or shared finger food.