The Five Flavors of Pad Thai (and How to Unlock Them)

Pad Thai or “fried Thai-style” is a culturally and traditionally rich dish with origins in Thailand. This wonderfully colorful meal is both rich in presentation and, most importantly, flavor! This is due to each of the 5 senses being engaged. So, to have a truly authentic and tasty pad, you have to make all 5 sing, and we’ve got the tips to get you through.

When making Pad Thai, it’s important to have all of the components prepped in advance because the final dish comes together very quickly once you start cooking. So, collect all the ingredients, but most importantly, remember the sweet brown sugar, the sour and tangy tamarind, the salty Thai fish sauce and the crunchy roasted peanuts. To really achieve the full and classic taste, add Thai basil and fresh lime to really engage all the senses.

First Pro-Tip:

Soak, don’t boil your rice noodles. A simple soak in boiling water for five minutes will ensure that your noodles don’t turn to mush in the pan when you reintroduce them with the sauce.

Second Pro-Tip:

Save the noodle water to thin out the Pad Thai sauce later, if need be.

Third Pro-Tip:

If you’re unable to source traditional garlic chives and, instead, substitute with green onions, only use about half the amount called for -- and cut green onions into smaller slices than usual (so as not to overpower the dish).

Fourth Pro-Tip:

To find a really great fish sauce, look for the brand with the smallest number of ingredients on the label. You really need nothing more than fish and salt, but anything more than the addition of sugar and water, you might want to look elsewhere.