This Pad Thai is relatively easy stir-fry to make, but it requires a bit of time for chopping and prep.
Ingredients
12 oz wide rice sticks
3 TBS peanut Oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or put through a garlic press
4 scallions cut in 2 in. pieces
½ TBS finely chopped fresh ginger
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 Eggs, beaten
4 oz snow peas
½ sliced red bell pepper
1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts (for garnish)
½ cup of chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Lime wedges (for serving)
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Sauce
1 TBS fish sauce
1 TBS tamarind paste
1 TBS Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
Recipe
Place the rice sticks in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water for 30 minutes. Chop the garlic, scallions and ginger and place on a small plate and set aside. Slice the bell pepper and set aside. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, poach the snow peas for one minute, drain and spray with cold water. Set aside. Beat the eggs and set aside.
In a small bowl mix the fish sauce, tamarind paste, and cooking wine and set aside.
You may use a wok, but I prefer to use my 12 in. stainless-steel skillet. Heat oil in the pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the ginger, garlic and scallions and stir fry for 30 seconds. Toss in the red pepper. Toss in the shrimp and stir-fry until pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sauce and mix well. Reduce heat to medium low and add the drained rice noodles and toss and fold them into the pan. Repeat with the drained bean sprouts. Keep stir-frying for several minutes until everything is coated with the sauce and is hot. Turn the Pad Thai into a warm serving dish and top with the peanuts and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. An Alsatian Riesling or an Asian beer would go nicely with it.
(Photo by R. L. Floyd, 2026)
