Jane Alty, the esteemed chef and patron of the renowned Thai restaurant The Begging Bowl in Peckham, south-east London, praises the versatility of pad thai, which contributes to its widespread popularity. Alty suggests using leftover proteins such as roast pork or chicken, as well as any remaining vegetables, to create a delectable pad thai dish. She also emphasizes her preference for utilizing local, seasonal fresh produce and combining them with imported dried and preserved ingredients to produce a truly distinctive fusion of flavors.
To make the recipe more accessible for home chefs, I have simplified it using leftover roast chicken. Even a modest 70g of shredded chicken offers enough substance to craft an excellent pad thai. For vegetarians or those seeking alternative options, tofu or leftover roast vegetables can be substituted for the meat. Additionally, vegetarian or vegan “fish” sauce is a suitable alternative.
Though rice noodles, fish sauce, and tamarind concentrate can be found in most wholefood stores and large supermarkets, some more exotic ingredients like palm sugar, dried prawns, and salted daikon may require alternative options or can be purchased from south-east Asian food stores or online. However, even without those authentic ingredients, pad thai remains a delightful and enjoyable dish to prepare at home while utilizing leftovers.
To ensure an efficient cooking process, it is advisable to have all the ingredients prepared and placed in separate bowls, mimicking the organization of a street food vendor.
This recipe serves 2 and requires the following ingredients:
– 100g of dried, 2-3mm-wide, flat rice noodles
– 20g of grated palm sugar or granulated brown sugar
– 3 tbsp of tamarind concentrate
– 2 tbsp of fish sauce
– 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
– 6 spring onions, finely sliced (white parts) and roughly chopped (green parts)
– 2 eggs
– 150g of shredded leftover roast chicken
– 20g of roughly chopped dried prawns (optional)
– 2 tbsp of chopped preserved daikon or sauerkraut (optional)
– 120g of mung beansprouts (80g for cooking, 40g for serving)
– 60g of roast peanuts (30g roughly chopped for cooking, 30g for serving)
– Red chili flakes to taste (optional)
– 2 lime wedges for serving
To begin, soak the rice noodles in water for two hours, then drain them. Meanwhile, dissolve grated palm sugar in four tablespoons of boiling water, followed by adding tamarind concentrate and fish sauce to create a flavorful sauce.
Next, heat a wok or large frying pan on high heat and add vegetable oil. Stir-fry the sliced white parts of spring onions until they begin to caramelize. Then, crack in the eggs, break the yolks, and allow them to partially set. Chop and remove the egg from the heat to prevent overcooking.
Add the drained noodles, shredded roast chicken, dried prawns (optional), preserved daikon (optional), and the prepared tamarind sauce mixture to the pan. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes until the noodles absorb the sauce and are thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and mix in the chopped green parts of spring onions, 80g of beansprouts, and 30g of chopped roast peanuts. Serve immediately, garnishing with extra beansprouts, roast peanuts, chili flakes (optional), and lime wedges.
Feel free to experiment and adjust the recipe to suit your preferences and dietary needs.
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