Michelin 3-star restaurant chef shows how to cook pad Thai, a favorite for more than a century

Chef Jongsiri of Sorn, the world's first Thai restaurant to earn three Michelin stars, shows how to make a flavorful version of pad Thai.

Pad Thai is a balance of sour, sweet, salty and just the right amount of spicy - Photo: Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya

Pad Thai is also a favorite dish of many Vietnamese people. In our country, many Thai restaurants and eateries have this dish.

If I were in Surat Thani and got to eat a plate of Pad Thai Chaiya from the morning market, I would be the happiest person in the world .

Chef Jongsiri

Pad Thai Chaiya has been loved for a century.

In his latest article on the Michelin Guide, chef Jongsiri of Sorn - the world's first Thai restaurant to receive three Michelin stars - said that pad Thai is ubiquitous and has been constantly transformed over the years.

"A plate of pad Thai uniquely balanced between sour, sweet, salty and just the right amount of spicy.

The appeal of this dish lies in the fact that we can enjoy it as a complete meal," said the chef.

According to Jongsiri, besides the well-known pad Thai, there is another version called pad Thai Chaiya, which is less popular but has been loved for more than a century.

This is a specialty of Chaiya district, Surat Thani province (Southern Thailand), and is spicier than pad Thai.

Sorn's chef Jongsiri with the sauce pot - Photo: Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya

While pad Thai's sauce typically includes tamarind, palm sugar, and fish sauce or salt, this version combines dried chilies, shallots, and shrimp paste, cooked in coconut milk until thick, creamy, and fragrant.

Chefs rate Chaiya pad Thai focusing on soft, chewy noodles, stir-fried slowly over low heat so that the sauce permeates each noodle, creating a rich flavor.

"This dish is best served with shredded green mango, bean sprouts, chives, banana blossom and crispy dried chili. Mix it all together and eat it while it's hot," he said.

Pad Thai is everywhere - Photo: Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya

Pad Thai Chaiya Recipe That Will Make You Wow

Jongsiri "reveals" a recipe for making Pad Thai Chaiya that will leave you amazed. This recipe is for one person.

1. How to make sauce:

Ingredients for the sauce include 150g dried chili, 1kg shallot, 100g shrimp paste, 2,000g coconut milk, 30g sea salt, 1kg palm sugar, 250g tamarind (or lime juice).

- Soak dried chili in water until soft, drain. Crush chili with sea salt. Add shallot and continue crushing until smooth then mix well with shrimp paste.

Ingredients for Pad Thai Chaiya - Photo: Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya

- Divide the coconut milk into two parts. Heat one part in a pan until it boils and the coconut oil separates, then add the chili mixture and stir-fry until fragrant and beautiful.

- Season the remaining coconut milk with palm sugar, tamarind and sea salt. Simmer until the sauce thickens, the oil floats to the surface and the flavor is rich and balanced. Adjust seasonings to taste.

2. How to make Pad Thai Chaiya:

Main ingredients include 3 fresh prawns or Tapi river prawns, 80g fresh Chanthaburi rice noodles, 300g Chaiya pad Thai sauce, 10g shallots, 15g cooking oil, 50ml vegetable or meat broth, 2 eggs, 30g bean sprouts and 5g fresh chives.

Garnishing ingredients include shredded green mango, bean sprouts, chives, banana blossom, lemon, whole chili.

Mix the ingredients well until fragrant - Photo: Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya

- Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until fragrant.

- Add fresh shrimp and noodles and stir-fry until combined.

- Add broth and continue stir-frying until noodles begin to soften.

Chef Sorn shares his secret to making Chaiya pad Thai: "Make sure the sauce is rich and well-balanced. When stir-frying, keep the heat low and let the sauce slowly soak into the noodles, that's how to get the perfect shine, chewiness and elasticity - Photo: Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya

- Add Chaiya pad Thai sauce then reduce heat to low, stir continuously until sauce is absorbed and noodles become shiny and chewy.

- Drizzle a little oil around the edge of the pan and crack in the egg. Once the egg begins to set, gently slide the noodles over the egg.

- Add bean sprouts and chives, increase heat to high, stir-fry quickly until everything is well blended, then serve on a plate and serve immediately with garnishes on the side.

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D.DUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dau-bep-nha-hang-3-sao-michelin-chi-cach-nau-pad-thai-duoc-yeu-thich-hon-1-the-ky-2025070712440944.htm