Thai · main

Shrimp Pad Thai

Shrimp Pad Thai reads umami 8.8, salinity 6.8 and marine & briny 6.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 37 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.8 · Salinity 6.8 · Marine & Briny 6.3 · Funk & Ferment 5.6 · Richness 5.2 · Citrus 5.1 · Sourness 5.1 · Sweetness 3.4 · Allium 3.2 · Fruity 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.6 · Heat 1.5 · Warm Spice 0.7 · Bitterness 0.6 · Earthy 0.5

What's in it (14)

Time & effort: about 37 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 102.9 kcal, 6.2 g protein, 3.3 g fat, 12.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water; let soak until pliable but still firm at the center, 20-25 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
  2. While the noodles soak, whisk together the tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; set the sauce aside.
  3. Season the shrimp with the salt.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering; add the shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink and just opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  5. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan; add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the garlic to one side, pour in the beaten eggs, and scramble until just set, about 1 minute, then break into small curds.
  6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil along with the drained noodles and the tamarind sauce. Toss constantly over high heat until the noodles soften, turn glossy, and absorb the sauce, 3-4 minutes.
  7. Return the shrimp to the pan along with 2 cups of the bean sprouts and the scallions; toss until heated through and evenly combined, 1-2 minutes.
  8. Remove from the heat and toss in half the chopped peanuts.
  9. Divide among plates and top with the remaining bean sprouts, remaining peanuts, lime wedges, and crushed red pepper flakes.

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Keep reading: what umami, salinity, marine & briny mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.