I’ve got a whole lot of love for Thailand. I’ve also got a whole lot of love for eating nice things. Combine the two and it’s a match made in food heaven! As any backpacker that’s travelled on a shoestring will agree, finding an abundance of mouth-watering food for a price that’s, (quite literally), cheaper than chips, feels like striking gold when you’re out on the road. In Thailand, you’re just as likely to encounter a flavoursome, five-star meal at a night market or basic, roadside eatery as in a swanky restaurant. This country has a knack for bringing the best of authentic, home-cooking to the streets and with an Asian mother who can cook up a storm in the kitchen, I like to think I’m a good judge of home-cooked meals.
When it comes to my own cooking however, I prefer a fuss-free approach. This may have something to do with the fact that if I’m cooking for friends, I like to have a nice glass of wine or three to make the experience a little more social and fun. However, this is obviously not a great mix for delicate timings and juggling hundreds of pots and pans. So, I’m always on the outlook for simple, tasty and easy recipes that deliver great-tasting results.
One of the iconic dishes of Thailand has to be the mighty Pad Thai. A tasty mix of noodles and nuts, characterised by the famous four flavours of Thai food – sweet, salty, sour and spicy – this dish has been keeping backpacker hangovers at bay for decades whilst additionally filling them up with the energy to get from A to B.
Here is my favourite recipe for how to make the perfect (and very easy) Pad Thai. This is a simple, vegetarian version – you can add chicken, prawns or tofu if you prefer a little more texture. Add these ingredients to the shallot, onion and chilli stage of the recipe and fry for a little longer to cook through.
Enjoy!
Pad Thai (Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
200g flat, dried rice noodles
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 spring onions, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 crushed garlic cloves
3 birds eye chillies (keep the seeds for that Thai heat and add more or less to taste)
4 free range eggs, lightly whisked
4 tbsp roughly chopped peanuts
4 handfuls of beansprouts
2 pak choi, chopped
2 handfuls of fresh, chopped coriander
2 limes
Sauce:
4 tbsp tamarind sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
A couple of dashes of rice wine vinegar
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp palm sugar
1. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Soak the rice noodles in warm water until soft (15 minutes max) and then in boiling water for no more than a minute. You don’t want them to stick together but you do want them soft. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat sesame oil in wok until it is smoking then fry the shallots, spring onions and chillies for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the egg mixture and let it begin to set into an omelette before gently separating into small chunks and stirring until cooked through.
5. Add the noodles, pak choi, beansprouts and the sauce until all combined.
6. Sprinkle in the peanuts (with a small amount aside for garnish).
7. Take off the heat and stir in the coriander (again, leave a small amount aside for garnish). Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime.
8. Serve up and sprinkle portions with coriander and nuts plus a little wedge of lime on the side.
Et voila! Thailand on a plate.
Do you love Thai food as much as I do? Or does another country’s cuisine come top of your list?
Pics by the Saints
Alex Saint is a writer based in Bristol, England – a place she calls home due to its friendly, diverse atmosphere and never-ending list of fun things to do. She loves tattoos, quirky fashion, pugs and, of course, travelling.
Keep up with the Saint sisters and their adventures in Bristol, London and beyond at www.saintsonaplane.com and @saintsonaplane or Alex herself @alexsaint13
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