Thai cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Pad Mee Korat

Thin rice noodles from Isaan, fried with tamarind, fermented soybean paste and bean sprouts.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g thin rice noodles
• 200 g firm tofu
• 150 g bean sprouts
• 2 tbsp fermented soybean paste (taucheo)
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp palm sugar
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 shallots
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 4 spring onions
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 limes

Instructions

1. Soak the rice noodles in cold water for 20 minutes until pliable but still firm, then drain well; cut the tofu into 1 cm cubes.
2. Stir together the tamarind paste, palm sugar, soybean paste, chili flakes and 150 ml water until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the tofu cubes for 5–6 minutes until golden all over, then remove; finely chop the garlic and shallots and cut the spring onions into 3 cm pieces.
4. In the remaining oil, fry the garlic and shallots for 2 minutes until translucent, pour in the seasoning sauce, and boil hard for 2 minutes until it turns dark and slightly syrupy.
5. Add the drained noodles and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they have fully absorbed the sauce and are soft but not mushy — add water a tablespoon at a time if needed.
6. Fold in the tofu, bean sprouts and spring onions, toss for 1 minute, and serve with lime wedges.