No delicacy perhaps resonates so easily with foodies as the Pad Thai – straight from the kitchens of Thailand. Pad Thai salad is a fresh, crunchy salad with a sweet and sour dressing. When made the right way, this dish hits all the five prominent flavors i.e., salty, spicy, sweet, sour, and bitter. This dish is savory, nutty, and sweet; an explosion of authentic Thai flavors in the mouth that are so admired the world over. This is a nutrient-packed salad that will be ready in an hour.
Health Benefits
Pad Thai salad is rich in vitamins A and C. It packs in fiber, protein, and antioxidants. The bean sprouts help in reducing anxiety caused by stress, improving eyesight, and support the immune system. Consumption of pad Thai noodles helps in keeping the immune system balanced too. Pad Thai salad contains nutrients that help to prevent acne and dry skin.
Ingredients
12 oz dried rice noodles
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 carrots - shredded
2 Spring onions - finely chopped
1 cup chicken - shredded
1 cup radish - finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves - chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves - chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves - chopped
3 cloves garlic - crushed
½ cup peanuts - crushed
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup red cabbage - chopped
1 tbsp lime
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tsbp honey
3 tbsp water
How To Make Pad Thai Salad
- Boil water in a large pan and add the dry rice noodles. Cook for 5 minutes, drain the water, and set aside.
- Add oil to a large pan and heat over a medium flame. Introduce the garlic to the pan and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the noodles, radish, spring onions, carrots, and cabbage. Stir and fry for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat.
- Combine all the ingredients of the dressing together in a bowl and mix well.
- Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing, peanuts, bean sprouts, coriander, and mint leaves. Toss to combine.
Trivia
The popular pad Thai salad is quite a new entrant to the Thai cuisine, the origin of which can be traced to 1930s. The then prime minister of Thailand, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram held a public contest to find a new national noodle dish. The dish that won the contest was quite similar to the modern-day pad Thai salad. The purpose of the contest was not only to find a new dish but to weaken the influence of China by finding a substitute for wheat noodles.