Thai food is one of the most popular cuisines globally for a reason. It’s rich, spicy, and oh-so flavorful. So whether you’re addicted to Pad Thai or love making a green curry from scratch, Thai food is beloved by many—and there are so many reasons why.
One of the things that make Thai cuisine so unique is that it’s a mix of the traditional food of Thailand and culinary influences from all around Asia. As a result, Thailand has been influenced by countries near and far: China, India, Japan, and Malaysia are just some countries that have played a role in shaping Thai food into what it is today.
And one of the most famous Thai dishes—the noodle dish Pad Thai—is no exception. Pad Thai has such an incredible history that it will blow your mind. And, did you know that pad Thai is the national dish of Thailand? It’s no wonder that it is so delicious and popular!
But, what is pad Thai? What are it’s ingredients? How is the sauce made? What is pad Thai’s origin story? And most importantly, how can you eat some right now?
Keep reading to learn everything about pad Thai (including how to order some right now)!
SO, WHAT IS PAD THAI?
Pad Thai is legendary street food. You can find it on nearly every street corner in Thailand. But what exactly is it?
Popular among college students, chefs, and anyone who tastes it, pad Thai is a quick-to-prepare stir-fry dish that’s both healthy and deliciously filling.
Pad thai is a popular Thai dish that combines stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, tofu, and chicken or another protein. Once you toss all of this delicious food with a sour, sweet, salty sauce, you are guaranteed to enjoy it. And pad thai is generally served with toppings like peanuts, fresh vegetables, bean sprouts, and cilantro.
Pad Thai is one of those undefinable dishes that people can interpret in a thousand different ways. And while the ingredients can vary between other recipes, the dish always includes rice noodles and eggs.
Simplicity is the key to this crowd-pleasing dish: once you try it, we promise you’ll quickly find yourself craving pad Thai again.
Pad Thai Ingredients
At Aloy Thai cuisine, we can customize any dish according to your preferences and dietary needs.
While pad Thai is traditionally made with items like fish sauce and shrimp, if you are vegan, we can offer alternatives. So whether you want something vegetarian, gluten-free, or sensitive to allergies, we can craft a delicious Thai meal!
Pad Thai Sauce
For us, pad Thai is a thing of beauty.
The bright red color and the scent of Thai spices are intoxicating. We love how it tastes—how it melts in your mouth and tickles your nose with a sweet-spicy-sour flavor that’s unlike any other dish you’ve ever tried.
At Aloy Thai Cuisine, we don’t believe in taking shortcuts.
So our pad Thai sauce isn’t the same as what you can buy at most grocery stores. When we first started making it, we had to make it from scratch, using fresh chiles, garlic, tamarind paste, and dried shrimp as our primary ingredients.
We think you’ll agree that this sauce is pretty amazing—and when you use it on your pad thai noodles or prawns, everyone will think so too!
PAD THAI HISTORY
Thai food has its origin in the fertile paddy fields of Thailand, where fresh herbs and vegetables combine with coconut milk and chiles to create a flavorful cuisine known for its balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors.
Have you ever wondered how the most-loved dish in Thailand, Pad Thai, was created? You’re missing out on a culinary masterpiece if you’ve never had it.
Pad Thai was born in Thailand during the time of World War II.
Interestingly, a dish as delicious as Pad Thai was created by a politician! The Prime Minister made this popular dish at the time.
He was concerned about the country’s high rice consumption. So, to promote nationalism and lower rice consumption, he encouraged citizens to eat more noodles—which Chinese merchants were selling at the time. The combination of Chinese rice noodles and native Thai flavors used for this dish eventually paved the way to creating what we’d call ‘Pad Thai’ these days.
The original recipes were simple: boiled rice noodles, fish sauce, shallots and chives, tamarind paste, and eggs. Other ingredients were introduced due to scarcity of supplies during World War II: tofu or dried shrimp. The dish has changed significantly since then, with different spices being added and the sauce always being adjusted to accommodate the person’s tastes.
The popularity of Pad Thai has skyrocketed since then—it’s now one of Thailand’s most popular dishes. It’s also a delicious entry into the sweet, sour, salty, spicy world of Thai food!
If you’re ready to try pad Thai, click here to order online.
A More Authentic Pad Thai
The pad thai you might be familiar with from Thai restaurants in the U.S. is not a traditional Thai dish. Instead, it’s a nod to the American palate, introduced to the United States by Chinese immigrants who used “pad” as a catch-all term for any stir-fried noodle dish.
Pad Thais can be both sour and sweet, depending on the region they’re made in and who is making the dish! Generally, in Thailand, pad thai will include ingredients like dried shrimp and fish sauce which lends tangy umami to the overall dish.
When it comes to finding a pad Thai that tickles your taste buds and gets you excited, we have exactly what your looking for right now! At Aloy Thai Cuisine, we pride ourselves on offering authentic Thai food to anyone who is craving it. So, whether you want pad Thai, spring rolls, or tom yum soup, we have everything you need to eat a delicious Thai feast at home. Check out our menu online here!