This is an authentic Prawn/Shrimp Pad Thai recipe from Spice I Am, a critically acclaimed Thai restaurant. To say it tastes incredible is an understatement!
Also, here is my everyday Pad Thai recipe which is the version I make most often, no trip to the Asian store required. 🙂
The restaurant version I’m sharing is an absolute ripper of a Pad Thai. I can go on and on about how incredible it is because it isn’t mine, so I don’t have to worry about sounding arrogant! It is the Pad Thai recipe of one of Sydney’s hottest Thai restaurants – Spice I Am.
The first time I went, I was blown away by the flavours. Seriously intense Thai, unlike the usual Thai restaurants. It’s phenomenal. And it’s authentic. That’s what I love the most. Spice I Am is unapologetically real. They don’t tone down the spiciness of curries. They don’t “westernise” dishes. They are modernised in the presentation but at the core of it, every dish is cooked the traditional way which is why it’s so different.
It was perhaps a decade ago when I first went and Spice I Am remains as one of my all time favourite Thai restaurants. So I was beyond excited when I spied a Spice I Am cookbook at my brothers’ house. I went to swipe it but he caught me and wouldn’t even let me borrow it. Hmph! So I wrangled my own copy.
I get such a kick out of getting restaurant recipes for signature dishes!! There are so many I want to try but in my excitement to share one with you, I decided to start with Pad Thai.
As you can imagine, after describing how authentic the Spice I Am dishes are, the Pad Thai recipe has more steps than my everyday version. And it has one ingredient that requires a trip to the Asian grocery store – dried tiny baby shrimp. It is the magic ingredient that makes this a real Thai restaurant style version. Yes it is worth the trip and the extra steps to make it! But you can get everything else you need from the supermarket.
It probably sounds like I was hired to talk about this cookbook, but I’m not! This is genuinely a cookbook I am obsessed with. Sujet Saenkham, the genius behind Spice I Am, is a native Thai and his recipes are actual family recipes he learnt from his mother and grandmother. Those are the kind of recipes that really get me excited!! You can get a copy of his cookbook from Bookworld or Booktopia (these are not affiliate links).
Yummy….Pad Thai….I could eat this every day. I swear! – Nagi x
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Shrimp / Prawn Pad Thai (Spice I Am Restaurant Recipe)
Ingredients
- 5 oz / 150 g dried Pad Thai rice noodles (Note 1)
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12 raw shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined (Note 2)
- 1 small red shallot , finely sliced (Note 3)
- 3 oz / 80 g firm tofu , cut into small matchsticks
- 1.75 oz / 50 g dried shrimp (Note 4)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tbsp tamarind puree (Note 5)
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp + chili powder , to taste (Note 6)
- 2 eggs , lightly beaten
- 1.5 oz / 45 g roasted unsalted peanuts , finely ground
- 5 oz / 150 g bean sprouts
- 2 tbsp garlic chives , cut into 3/4" / 2cm lengths
- 1 tsp white sugar
- Lime wedges , to serve
Instructions
- Place the rice noodles in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water and set aside for 1 hour. (Note 7) Drain then set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large heavy based fry pan over medium heat. Add the prawns and cook until they just change colour. (Note 8) Remove from the wok and set aside.
- Add the shallot and stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the tofu, dried shrimp, fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind puree and cook for 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the rice noodles, vinegar and 2 tsp chili powder and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low and push the noodles to one side. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil into the wok then the egg.
- Push the noodles over the egg and stir, scraping the base of the wok so the egg scrambles and mixes in with the noodles.
- Remove from heat. Add half the peanuts, most of the bean sprouts, garlic chives, prawns and toss gently.
- Transfer to serving platter. Sprinkle with white sugar and remaining peanuts. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side and sprinkled with extra chili powder, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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I am just curious what the calorie count is for the home version? For whatever reason I am unable to see it on your site. Thanks!
The first time I had Thai food was in Sydney back in 1995 when I lived there, it’s the best Thai food I’ve ever had . It’s very easy to find Thai restaurants in UK cities these days , but they were few and far between back then and totally non existent in the small fishing village where I grew up in Scotland.
And yay your recipe is TOTALLY gluten free! I’ll be bookmarking it to make when we get back home to Mississippi from lovely Colorado next week 🙂
Hello Nagi,
I tried to cook the pad thai (1st recipe) for dinner today, and I ruined it! 🙁
it is all my fault I have to say!
I pushed the sauce a bit too far as i couldn’t see if the sugar had dissolved in the black pan, so there was hardly enough to coat the noodles! I cooked the noodles for too long so they were mushy! Even with my mistakes it was nice! Way better than the other recipe I tried once, we had to throw it in the bin!
I definitely will try it again!
Thank you
Dorothee
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that Dorothee 🙂 I’ve certainly made the mistake of cooking the noodles too long too and they broke and ended up as tiny little pieces!!! (Still yum though 🙂 ) I’m glad you plan to try again! I hope you do give it a go again 😉 N x
I think there’s a little pad thai love in most of us. It’s tricky to find good ones in Thai eateries across town as many are way too sweet, I find. I may have a go at one of these!
Sweet this is not. Spice I Am is definitely the best Pad Thai around! Certainly the closest to the real deal in Thailand (though stronger flavours, I have to say. I’m not complaining! 🙂 )
Nagi, thank you for this delicious recipe, I use Sriracha sauce in place of the chili powder, my kids love Sriracha sauce they even put it into grilled cheese sandwiches. We have at least 50+ Asian, Indian and Arabic food stores in our area so we have access to an unlimited assortment of spices, seasonings and produce .
Hi Jim! I am SO glad you loved it! And wow, I am super impressed with your kids’ palette – even in their grilled cheese? SO cool 🙂 You are so lucky to have so many ethnic grocery stores in your area! I love them – such great value and fantastic little “secrets” stashed in the deep corners of the store 😉
Thank you for coming back to let me know you loved it!! Have a great weekend Jim!
Who doesn’t love Pad Thai?! Who?! Seriously, I eat this stuff like someone with a bad addiction! That is, when it’s good. Too often I find restaurants pushing out bland Pad Thai – such a crime. You got the real deal flavors going on here – bold, bright, and vibrant! And those shrimp, ugh… perfection! I really, really wish I had a bowl of this right now.
It’s an insult to Thai cuisine when you see a bad Pad Thai!! I had one once that tasted like it had been made with sweet chili sauce….SERIOUSLY!!!
I am so excited by this post Nagi! I saw it on Instagram and just HAD to come check it out. It’s on our shopping list for next week – YUM!
Hi Jessica! Oooohh, hope you do try it!! N x
Phwoar! I heart pad thai but the last few times I’ve had it at restaurants it has been gluggy and blah. I am def going to try your everyday version and eat ALL the pad thai 😉
It is HARD not to scoff it all down for yourself!!! 🙂
You know, many years ago I used to work in Detroit and we used to go to a Thai restaurant at least once a week and Pad Thai was my choice every single time. It’s absolutely my favorite! Yours looks so authentic, why do you have to live so far away, I’d be over for dinner, like every single time you’d cook something like this!!!
Oh please Jo! You are just as good at cooking – if not better. I didn’t come up with this recipe myself, it’s a restaurant one….make it yourself!! 😉
My favorite ! I’m gonna have this one on rotation at the shack ! Drooling !
YES YOU SHOULD!!! N x
My mom uses dried baby shrimp in her cooking. I have not been able to enjoy her cooking much for many years because she lives 2,500 miles way. I should start using them as they add a deeper flavor profile to the dish. I love pad thai!! This is making me seriously crave some! I love that you gave two different versions. I would jump at a chance to have either one of them right now! Pinning.
Oh, I’m so sad at the thought of that Thao! I bet your mum makes amazing food, knowing you fab your food is 🙂 You must visit her regularly!
Nagi, thank you for the ingredient notes – so helpful. I’m going to try the restaurant version – I’m so curious! Now I just have to track down some dried shrimp!
It’s pretty amazing Marissa! The dried shrimp is the only ingredient you need to hunt down from the Asian store 🙂 And there’s more steps. But totally worth it!!
pad thai is my absolute fav! is it wrong that i like even better cold the next day? LOL! don’t tell anyone
Don´t worry, nobody saw that, lol.
I also love pad thai soooo much. Ate it in thailand years ago and it´s so yummy! The restaurant here has a very changing quality (I guess it´s different cooks) which is really sadnoying, because you never know which version you will get. I am getting anxious ordering at all, haha. Cann be so dissapointing.
I went like: YEEESS! When I received your mail with the recipes.
Ha ha, I had to giggle when I saw your comment about how the quality of food changes depending on who is cooking!! I have the same problem with my local cafe re: coffee 😉
Lindsay! COLD??! No!!! That’s like having cold pizza!!!
Oh, I so love the look of Spice I Am – who could resist a restaurant with a name like that – just who could resist this Pad Thai!
Right?! 🙂 It’s SO good. I’ll take you next time you’re in Sydney!!
Last week I cooked 4 servings of pad Thai for me and myself. :p Today I went to Thai town to get some grocery shopping done and the pad Thai in the Thai food joints were calling to me.. Now almost midnight, I read your post on pad Thai and I still want more pad Thai. I’m pad thaiful. Hmmmm…
Ha! Ai, you sound like me 🙂 When I go into town for Pad Thai, I get take out as well which lasts 2 meals so I end up having Pad Thai 3 times in a row!!!
Pad Thai is one of my favorite Thai food. It’s impossible to find nice Pad Thai here in China (you can only taste ketchup…), so I always prefer to make them at home. I can tell this is an awesome recipe by browsing through the ingredient list. Pinning!
That’s so funny! You would think that other Asian countries would do Asian food well 🙂 Though having said that, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Thai restaurant in Japan….
Nagi, this Pad Thai making me drool, big time! I think, I need to get this book! But first, I will try this recipe! 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Hi Savita, thanks for your kind words!! Hope you do try it, SUPER delish! N x
Loving the two for 1 post 🙂
Will have to have a go at both as Pad Thai is one of my favourites.
I know what you mean about shops! Our closest shop (of any description) is 20 minutes away. Makes it a major blow if you find you don’t have something in the pantry that you thought was there.
WOW!! You’re even more challenged than me when it comes to stores!! 🙂
This looks fantastic. You’ll laugh, I know, when I tell you that John cooked Chicken Pad Thai for me last week when all I could do was moan. It was delicious but it didn’t look like this. 🙂 He needs to take lessons from you.
Moan? You were complaining? I hope not Maureen! You should be appreciative of his efforts!! 🙂 N x
Yes so delicious Nagi. I love Spice I am. I must admit that I dont often order pad thai but promise to try it next time !
I know what you mean! I didn’t try it for ages thinking there were so many other things to try. But I’m so glad I did!! 🙂