Pad Thai is the Thai stir-fried noodle dish traditionally made with rice noodles, tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar.
The noodles are soaked and then stir-fried with a sauce that balances sour, salty and sweet flavors. Common ingredients include tofu, dried shrimp, egg, bean sprouts, chives and crushed peanuts. Lime wedges and additional seasonings are often served alongside the finished dish.
Pad Thai became especially prominent in Thailand during the mid-20th century, when the government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram promoted national identity and food modernization. The dish’s exact history is debated, but its ingredients reflect older Chinese-influenced stir-frying combined with local Thai flavors.
Pad see ew is another Thai noodle dish, but it generally uses wider rice noodles and a darker soy-based seasoning. Pad Thai’s characteristic tamarind-based sweet-sour profile is the key distinction.