Also known as “The Land of Smiles,” Thailand is home to thousands of miles of white sand beaches, fierce kickboxing, festivals, street food, elephant sanctuaries, opulent royal palaces, ancient ruins and ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha. Nothing, though, is nearly as famous as its cuisine. Fragrant, colorful, spicy and most important delicious–it’s no wonder you can find a Thai restaurant in almost any city in the world! One of the most popular dishes is Pad Thai, a delicious stir fry that is a favorite of many travelers to Thailand.

 

Thailand is located in SouthEast Asia and borders Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Malaysia. Thailand is the only country in the region to have never been colonized by a European power. 

 

Pad Thai

 

Out of all the moorish meals many may have munched on, Pad Thai is without a doubt the most popular pick. The history is not as old as one would think though. It was actually created and promoted by Plaek Phibunsongkhram in the 1930s to promote Thai nationalism when the country was transitioning from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy and also changing its name from Siam to, you guessed it, Thailand. It was further encouraged to be eaten during World War II when the country was enduring a rice shortage. Today, Pad Thai is cooked all over the world from Bangkok street vendors to London’s high street boutique restaurants. 

Seasoning Ingredients

 

• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (soy sauce for vegetarian)
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce (mushroom sauce for vegetarian)
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• ½ cup water

 

Ingredients

 

• 4 cloves diced garlic
• 100 grams extra firm tofu cut into small pieces 
• 3-4 green onion stalks cut into 1-inch pieces 
• 300 grams bean sprouts 
• 200 grams rice noodles 
• ½ medium carrot peeled and cut into matchsticks 
• 200 grams chicken cut into small pieces 
• 2 eggs 

 

Garnish 

 

• 50 grams crushed roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp chili flakes
• 1-2 limes 

 

Method 

Preparation is very important since the actual cooking has to be done quite quickly over high heat.

• Soak rice noodles in cold water for at least ten minutes. 
• Place peanuts in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. 
• In one small bowl mix together the fish sauce, oyster sauce, tamarind paste, and palm sugar. 
• In a large wok or frying pan at medium-low heat, add cooking oil and diced garlic for 30 seconds. 
• Add diced chicken and tofu and cook for another minute or until the chicken turns white.
• Add the bowl of sauces and stir well. Immediately after stirring, reserve contents of the pan to one side and add the egg to the empty area, turning the heat to high for 1 minute or until the egg has cooked. 
• Then add rice noodles and a half a cup of water stirring everything together for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Then stir in 200 grams of bean sprouts, carrots, and green onions to the pan only for 20 seconds or so (unless you like the veggies cooked softer then cook for 1 minute).
• Garnish with 100 grams of fresh bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, chili flakes, and a lime wedge.

 

Little Fingers can

 

2-4-year-olds

 

• Soak rice noodles in cold water.
• Crush peanuts in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin.
• Mix pre-measured, fish sauce, oyster sauce, tamarind paste, and palm sugar into a bowl.
• Place garnish on plates.

 

5-7-year-olds

 

• Soak rice noodles in cold water.
• Crush peanuts in ziplock bag with rolling pin.
• Measure sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
• Chop the ingredients (under adult supervision).
• Place garnish on plates.
• Measure sauce ingredients into a bowl.
• Crack eggs into separate bowl (pick out any shells).
• Add veggies into the pan (under adult supervision) 

 

7-year-olds plus

 

• Peel carrot (under adult supervision),
• Crush peanuts in ziplock bag with rolling pin.
• Measure sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
• Chop the ingredients (under adult supervision).
• Crack eggs into a separate bowl (pick out any shells).
• Add veggies to the pan (under adult supervision). 
• Stir ingredients in the pan (under adult supervision).
• Place garnish on plates.

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