Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe

In a small bowl whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, rice vinegar, 1 tsp neutral oil (helps emulsify) and chili flakes or Sriracha until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance: should be tangy-salty-sweet. Set aside.

Soak noodles

Place the dry rice noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with warm (not boiling) water. Soak 8 oz rice noodles for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pliable but still slightly firm in the center (they will finish cooking in the wok). Drain and set aside, reserving about 1/4 cup of soaking liquid if any remains.

Prepare shrimp

Pat the 1 lb shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper.

Have garlic minced, shallot thinly sliced, scallions cut into 1" pieces, bean sprouts rinsed and drained, and optional garlic chives ready. Crushing the peanuts and cutting the lime into wedges now will make plating smooth.

Heat wok and cook shrimp

Heat a large wok or wide skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 1 1/2 tbs oil and swirl. Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and stir-fry 1–2 minutes per side until they are pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp to a plate and keep warm.

Aromatics

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tbs oil to the hot wok. Add the sliced shallot and stir-fry 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add minced garlic and stir 15–20 seconds, being careful not to burn.

Eggs

Push aromatics to one side of the wok. Crack the 2 eggs into the empty side and scramble gently until just set but still moist.

Combine noodles and sauce

Add drained noodles to the wok. Pour the prepared Pad Thai sauce over the noodles and toss vigorously with tongs or two spatulas to coat evenly. If the mixture seems dry or sauce is too thick, add up to 2 tbs warm water (or reserved soaking liquid) a tablespoon at a time to loosen. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until noodles are tender and saucy.

Finish with shrimp and vegetables

Return cooked shrimp to the wok along with bean sprouts, scallions and optional garlic chives. Toss everything together for 30–60 seconds to combine and warm the sprouts slightly — they should remain crisp. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/4 tsp salt, extra fish sauce for saltiness, or a squeeze of lime for brightness.

Divide the Shrimp Pad Thai among 3–4 plates (see servings). Garnish each plate with crushed roasted peanuts, cilantro if using, extra chili flakes or oil to taste, and lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately.