Thai Fried Noodles with Shrimp

This is fast, fragrant Thai street food you can make at home in about half an hour, a shrimp and rice noodle stir-fry in the pad-thai family.

Everything rides on the sauce, that signature Thai balance of salty fish sauce, sour lime, and just enough sugar. Taste as you go and adjust until it sings, since that interplay is the whole soul of the dish.

The technique is classic wok work, and it moves fast. Garlic sizzles in hot oil, the sauce goes in, then beaten egg gets a quick scramble before the soaked rice noodles are tossed in to drink up all that flavor.

Shrimp, bean sprouts, and green onions join at the end so the shrimp just cook through and the sprouts stay crunchy. A shower of crushed peanuts, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime at the table finishes it.

Pro Tips

• Soak the rice noodles until pliable but not soft; they finish cooking in the wok and turn mushy if oversoaked.
• Have everything prepped and within reach before you start, since stir-frying happens fast.
• Taste and balance the fish sauce, lime, and sugar; that sweet-salty-sour harmony is the key to good Thai noodles.
• Add the bean sprouts at the end so they stay crisp and fresh.

Variations

• Swap shrimp for chicken, tofu, or a mix.
• Add a pinch of dried chili flakes or a drizzle of chili sauce for heat.
• Stir in garlic chives or a handful of shredded carrot for extra vegetables.