Made from Scratch: Shrimp Pad Thai

My cousin asked me for this recipe, and then a bunch of other people did too. So here I am typing this recipe away!! Let me know what you think! 

Lei's Shrimp Pad Thai 

Serving: 2-3 people I think lol

Sauce:

- 1 whole Palm Sugar dome

- 3 tbsp water 

- 1/4 cup Tamarind concentrate 

- 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis! lol) 

For picture of the brands I used, here you go:

Sauce Directions:

1) Chop up the palm sugar dome into smaller pieces so it's easier to melt. 

2) Combine the chopped palm sugar with the water and microwave for 30 seconds. (the pieces won't be completely melted, but that's okay... Just mix it more with a spoon or something)

3) Add in the tamarind concentrate & the fish sauce into the container of melted palm sugar. Stir.  Set aside!! 

ITS THAT EASY!!! :) I suggest you double the sauce though JUST IN CASE!!! (Better safe than sorry lol) 

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Pad Thai part

Ingredients :

- Thai rice sticks, dry (I honestly don't know how much I used.... I used like 1/3 of the package I got) 

- 10-20 raw shrimp, cleaned & peeled (if they're small shrimp, use 20.. if they're big, just use 10) 

- 2-4 garlic cloves, minced (depending how much you like garlic or not) 

- 1 small shallot or half a bigger size one, chopped (you can use regular onions too, but shallots tend to be sweeter) 

- 1 tbsp of chili flakes (add more or less depending if you like it spicy or not) 

- 1 tbsp small dried shrimp, chopped into smaller pieces 

- Firm tofu, about 10-20 small rectangular pieces (can be omitted) 

- 2 eggs, cracked

- Bunch of bean sprouts 

- 2 stalks of green onions or garlic chives, cut into 1inch pieces  

- 6 pieces of cilantro leaves

- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts (optional) 

Directions:

0) Before anything else, soak your Thai rice sticks in cold water for an hour or more. The longer the better. But don't soak it in hot water! When you're ready to cook everything, drain it well and set aside. 

1) Heat a wok or big sauté pan over high heat. And some oil. 

2) When it's hot enough, place all the shrimp in the wok, and DO NOT FLIP OR MIX! Just let it cook on one side for a minute or two. 

3) NOW flip the shrimp to the other side and cook thoroughly. 

4) Take out the shrimp from the wok to prevent it from cooking too long and shrinking more. Set aside. 

** THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU GOTTA BE ORGANIZED, QUICK & FAST AT COOKING **

5) Add in your pieces of tofu to the wok and stir fry it until they turn golden in color. 

6) Once they're a bit golden, add in your garlic, shallots, chopped dried shrimp, and chili flakes all at the same time and stir fry. 

7) When the garlic turns brown, add in your soaked&drained Thai rice sticks! Mix to get all the flavors well incorporated. 

8) Add in the pad thai sauce little by little while continuously stirring the noodles around. (I like to save some sauce just in case it looks too dry at the end)

9) When the noodles look mostly-cooked, push it all to one side of the wok and pour in your two cracked eggs on the other half of the wok and BREAK the yolk with a spatula. (yes, you want some whites along with the yellow)

10) Let the egg sit for 30 seconds just to let it cook, then put your noodles on TOP of the eggs, and let it sit for a little bit. 

11) Scramble the eggs from the bottom while mixing it with all the noodles. 

*** This is the part where I usually put in more sauce if it looks too dry *** 

12) Add in your bunch of bean sprouts and mix to incorporate. (delicately btw) 

13) Turn off the heat, then add in your cilantro, green onions (or garlic chives, whichever you used) and also half of the crushed peanuts. Toss into the pad thai just to mix. 

14) Now toss in the shrimp you set aside originally and serve!!  

YOU'RE DONE! 

To plate, you can add the rest of the crushed peanuts on top and a cilantro just for presentation. Also add pieces of lime just so you have an option to squeeze on too! :)