Pad Thai Goong Sod

1. 1

   Prepare the Pad Thai Sauce

   In a small bowl, combine tamarind paste concentrate, grated palm sugar, fish sauce, and Thai thin soy sauce. Stir well until the palm sugar completely dissolves. The sauce should taste sweet, sour, and salty in equal balance. Set aside. If using fresh tamarind pulp, dissolve 50g pulp in 1/2 cup boiling water, let steep for 10 minutes, then strain out the seeds and fibers before using the liquid.

   5m

   Tips:

   • • Taste the sauce before cooking - it should be slightly sweeter than you want the final dish
   • • The sauce will concentrate during cooking, so it may taste too sweet initially
   • • Adjust the balance now rather than during cooking when timing is critical
2. 2

   Soak the Rice Noodles

   Place the dried rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with room temperature or lukewarm water. Let soak for 30-45 minutes until the noodles are pliable and can bend easily without breaking, but are still firm to the touch. They should not be fully soft. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

   35m

   Tips:

   • • Don't use hot water or the noodles will become too soft
   • • Test by bending a noodle - it should be flexible but not mushy
   • • Soaking time varies by brand, so check after 30 minutes
   • • Cut long noodles to 10-12 inches for easier handling
3. 3

   Prepare the Prawns and Tofu

   Pat the prawns completely dry with paper towels - this ensures they'll sear properly rather than steam. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and white pepper. If your tofu is not pre-fried, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over medium-high heat and fry the tofu cubes until golden on all sides, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

   5m

   Tips:

   • • Dry prawns are crucial for achieving a good sear
   • • Don't overcook prawns in this step - they'll cook more later
   • • Pre-fried tofu (available at Asian markets) saves time
   • • Keep prawns refrigerated until ready to use
4. 4

   Mise en Place (Prepare All Ingredients)

   Have everything ready before you start cooking: minced garlic, sliced shallots, chopped preserved radish, ground dried shrimp, beaten eggs, drained noodles, fried tofu, bean sprouts, cut chives, crushed peanuts, and the prepared sauce. This is critical because Pad Thai cooks very quickly and you won't have time to prepare ingredients during cooking.

   10m

   Tips:

   • • Arrange ingredients in order of use for smooth workflow
   • • Keep garnishes separate for plating
   • • Have a plate ready for cooked prawns
   • • Read through all steps before starting to cook
5. 5

   Sear the Prawns

   Heat your wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 1.5 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. Add the prawns in a single layer and let them sear undisturbed for 45 seconds until the bottoms turn pink and slightly caramelized. Flip and cook for another 30-45 seconds until just cooked through but still tender. Remove immediately to a plate and set aside.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • High heat is essential for proper searing
   • • Don't move prawns too soon or they won't develop color
   • • Prawns cook quickly - remove when just opaque to avoid overcooking
   • • They'll finish cooking when returned to the wok later
6. 6

   Build the Aromatic Base

   Reduce heat to medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok. Add the minced dried shrimp and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and slightly golden. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic but not browned. Add the sliced shallots and preserved radish, stir-frying for another 30 seconds until the shallots soften slightly.

   3m

   Tips:

   • • The dried shrimp should smell nutty, not burnt
   • • Keep ingredients moving to prevent burning
   • • This aromatic mixture is the flavor foundation of the dish
   • • Lower heat slightly if anything starts to brown too quickly
7. 7

   Add Tofu and Noodles

   Increase heat back to high. Add the fried tofu cubes to the aromatics and toss for 30 seconds. Add the soaked and drained rice noodles and pour the prepared Pad Thai sauce over them. Using two utensils (a wok spatula and large spoon work well), continuously toss and lift the noodles to separate them and coat evenly with sauce. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the sauce.

   4m

   Tips:

   • • Keep noodles in constant motion to prevent sticking
   • • Use a lifting and folding motion rather than stirring
   • • If noodles stick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water
   • • Noodles should be soft but still slightly chewy
8. 8

   Add the Eggs

   Push all the noodles to one side of the wok, creating space on the other side. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the empty space. Pour the beaten eggs into this space and let them sit for about 10 seconds until they begin to set at the edges. Using your spatula, gently fold the eggs a few times without breaking them into tiny pieces - you want ribbons of egg, not scrambled. When eggs are about 70% cooked, fold them into the noodles.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • Don't scramble the eggs completely - larger ribbons are traditional
   • • The eggs should streak through the noodles, not disappear
   • • Work quickly so noodles don't burn while eggs cook
   • • Residual heat will finish cooking the eggs
9. 9

   Add Vegetables and Prawns

   Add 1 cup of bean sprouts (reserve remaining for serving) and the Chinese garlic chives to the wok. Return the cooked prawns. Stir-fry everything together for 1 minute, tossing constantly, until the chives just begin to wilt and everything is well combined. The bean sprouts should remain crisp and crunchy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

   2m

   Tips:

   • • Don't overcook the vegetables - they should retain their crunch
   • • Prawns only need to be heated through
   • • If too dry, add a splash of water or sauce
   • • If too wet, increase heat and toss vigorously to evaporate liquid
10. 10

    Plate and Serve

    Immediately transfer the Pad Thai to serving plates. Garnish with crushed roasted peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, remaining fresh bean sprouts, and dried chili flakes on the side. Diners can squeeze lime juice over their portion and customize with extra condiments. Serve immediately while hot.

    1m

    Tips:

    • • Pad Thai should be eaten immediately for best texture
    • • The lime juice is essential - it brightens all the flavors
    • • Authentic street vendors serve with banana blossom if available
    • • Extra fish sauce, sugar, and chili flakes are traditional table condiments

• •Fresh prawns (goong sod) are essential for this dish - frozen prawns can work but thaw completely and pat very dry
• •Cook Pad Thai in small batches (no more than 2 servings) to maintain high heat and prevent steaming
• •The wok must be very hot - if using a home stove, use the highest heat setting
• •Authentic Pad Thai should have a slightly charred flavor from high-heat wok cooking (wok hei)
• •The noodles should be coated in sauce but not swimming in it - aim for slightly glossy, not wet
• •Don't oversoak the noodles or they'll become mushy when stir-fried
• •Chinese garlic chives (kui chai) have a sweet garlic flavor that's essential to authenticity
• •The preserved radish (chai poh) and dried shrimp add crucial umami depth
• •Palm sugar gives a more complex sweetness than white sugar
• •If prawns curl too much, you can score the underside before cooking

• •
  tom-yum-goong
• •
  som-tam
• •
  satay
• •
  tod-man-pla
• •
  spring-rolls
• •
  thai-iced-tea

Pad Thai Goong Sod represents the most traditional and popular version of Pad Thai as it's commonly served in Thailand. While Pad Thai itself was invented in the 1930s-40s during Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram's nationalist campaign, the prawn version quickly became the standard and most beloved variation. In Bangkok and coastal areas where fresh seafood is abundant, Pad Thai with fresh prawns (goong sod) became the gold standard. Street vendors along Bangkok's waterways and markets perfected this version, using prawns fresh from the morning markets. The dish became particularly popular in Chinatown (Yaowarat) and along the Chao Phraya River, where seafood stalls would prepare it fresh to order. By the 1960s and 1970s, when Thai cuisine began gaining international recognition, Pad Thai Goong Sod became synonymous with Thai cuisine abroad. The combination of sweet fresh prawns with the tangy tamarind sauce created a flavor profile that appealed to both Thai and international palates. Today, while many protein variations exist, Pad Thai Goong Sod remains the benchmark by which all other Pad Thai dishes are measured in Thailand.

Authentic Pad Thai Goong Sod must use fresh prawns (goong sod), not frozen or pre-cooked prawns, which distinguishes it from the more economical dried shrimp version (Pad Thai Goong Haeng). The prawns should be visible and prominent in the dish, typically 6-8 medium prawns per serving in street stalls. True Bangkok-style Pad Thai Goong Sod has specific characteristics: the noodles should be slightly caramelized from high heat but not burnt, the prawns should be just cooked through and tender (never rubbery), and the overall flavor should balance sweet, sour, and salty with umami depth from dried shrimp and preserved radish. The color should be brownish from tamarind and soy sauce, never bright orange (which indicates ketchup, a Western adaptation). Traditional versions always include tofu cubes for texture contrast and protein balance. The eggs should form visible ribbons throughout rather than being finely scrambled. Bean sprouts must remain crispy - wilted sprouts indicate overcooking or incorrect heat. Chinese garlic chives (kui chai) are essential and should not be substituted with regular chives or scallions as they provide a distinctive sweet garlic flavor. The dish should be slightly dry rather than saucy, with noodles that have absorbed the sauce and have a glossy sheen. Authentic street vendors in Bangkok serve this with lime wedges, crushed peanuts, dried chili flakes, fish sauce, and white sugar on the side so diners can adjust to personal taste. The prawns are sometimes left with tails on for visual appeal and ease of eating with chopsticks. In high-end restaurants, the prawns may be butterflied or even served whole. The dish should be cooked to order in a very hot wok to achieve 'wok hei' (breath of the wok) - the slightly smoky, charred flavor that indicates proper wok cooking technique.