Pad Thai

also called phat thai · phad thai · pad thai goong · pad thai kung · thai fried noodles · pad thai noodles

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Pad Thai: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
6 oz(170 g; 3 mm wide)dried rice stick noodlessoak 30 min, drainstir-fry 3 minscramble intoss off the heat
2 Tbs(rinsed)dried shrimpfry 2 min
2 Tbs(chopped; chai poh)preserved radish
4 oz(115 g; in 1/2-in cubes)firm tofu
3 cloves(chopped)garlic
3 Tbsvegetable oil
1/3 cup(80 mL)pad thai sauce
8(peeled, tails on)large shrimp
2 largeeggs
1 cup(a big handful)bean sprouts
4(in 2-in lengths)garlic chives
3 Tbs(coarsely crushed)roasted peanuts
1(in wedges)lime
1 tsptoasted chile powder
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.15 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1soak 30 min, drain

2fry 2 min

3stir-fry 3 min

goes in with what steps 1 and 2 made

4scramble in

goes in with what step 3 made

5toss off the heat

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 33 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
5 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 45 min.

  1. soak 30 min, drain

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. fry 2 min

    2 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. stir-fry 3 min

    3 minneeds you30 min in

  4. scramble in

    not timed33 min in

  5. toss off the heat

    not timed33 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need wok

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Pad Thai
>> category: Noodles
>> tags: noodles, shrimp, thai, tamarind, wok
>> counters: Thai Kitchen
>> aka: phat thai, phad thai, pad thai goong, pad thai kung, thai fried noodles, pad thai noodles
>> pairs-with: pad-thai-sauce
>> servings: 2
>> time: 45 min
>> step.1: soak 30 min, drain
>> step.2: fry 2 min
>> step.3: stir-fry 3 min
>> step.4: scramble in
>> step.5: toss off the heat

Soak @dried rice stick noodles{6%oz}(170 g; 3 mm wide) in warm water for ~soak{30%min}, until they are bendy but still chalky at the centre, then drain them. They finish cooking in the wok, and noodles boiled soft first turn to paste there.

Fry @dried shrimp{2%Tbs}(rinsed), @preserved radish{2%Tbs}(chopped; chai poh), @firm tofu{4%oz}(115 g; in 1/2-in cubes) and @garlic{3%cloves}(chopped) in @vegetable oil{3%Tbs} in a hot #wok{} for ~fry{2%min}, until the tofu takes some colour.

Stir-fry @&(~2)drained noodles{} into @&(~1)aromatics{} with @pad thai sauce{1/3%cup}(80 mL) and @large shrimp{8}(peeled, tails on) over the highest heat you have for ~stirfry{3%min}, turning rather than stirring, until the noodles drink the sauce and go glossy.

Push @&(~1)noodles{} to one side, break @eggs{2%large} into the bare metal, let them set for a count of ten, then chop them through.

Toss @&(~1)noodles{} off the heat with @bean sprouts{1%cup}(a big handful), @garlic chives{4}(in 2-in lengths), @roasted peanuts{3%Tbs}(coarsely crushed), @lime{1}(in wedges) and @toasted chile powder{1%tsp}, which each eater adds to their own plate.