Thai Pavilion Pad Thai Recipe

Soak noodles

Place dried rice noodles in a large bowl. Pour 2 cups warm water over them and let soak 20–25 minutes until pliable but still slightly firm (they will finish cooking in the pan). Drain and set aside, spreading gently so they don't clump.

Prepare eggs

Beat the 2 eggs lightly in a small bowl and have them ready beside the wok or large skillet.

Pat shrimp and prawns dry with paper towels and season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining shrimp/prawns if necessary.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the hot wok. Add minced garlic and sliced red onion and stir-fry 30–45 seconds until fragrant and slightly softened. Push aromatics to one side of the wok.

Pour the beaten eggs into the cleared side of the wok. Let set for about 10–15 seconds, then scramble briefly until mostly cooked but still moist. Mix eggs with the aromatics.

Add soaked, drained rice noodles to the wok, gently tossing or using tongs to combine with eggs, garlic and onion.

Make the sauce: mix tamarind paste with 2 tablespoons warm water to loosen, then stir in fish sauce, palm sugar, rice vinegar (if using), and ground pepper until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust: the flavor should be balanced sweet-sour-salty.

Pour the sauce evenly over the noodles in the wok. Toss and stir-fry quickly over high heat for 1–2 minutes, making sure noodles are coated and start to absorb the sauce. If noodles are sticking, add 1–2 tablespoons water to help distribute sauce and loosen them.

Add cooked shrimp and prawns back into the wok along with sweetened radish (pickled daikon) and 1 cup bean sprouts. Toss gently to combine and heat through, about 1 minute. Stir in chives and remove from heat.

Plate the Pad Thai immediately. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts over each portion, add extra bean sprouts and sliced chives on the side, and offer lime wedges and chili flakes for diners to squeeze/sprinkle to taste.

Serve hot. Typical serving is 2–3 portions from this recipe. Leftovers can be reheated gently in a wok with a splash of water to loosen the noodles.