A Springy Spin on Pad Thai

Bright, fresh, light, and slippery — we'll take what we can get

I hadn’t made Pad Thai in many years, but the craving hit out of nowhere — maybe with a balmy breeze that came through this week? Or more likely the threat of my global pantry suddenly becoming exponentially more expensive — and left little choice but to grab the wok right away.

The last time, I remember struggling with how to cook the noodles. Soaking alone didn’t get them properly tender, and boiling them achieved a gluey mass. I’ve since learned that the best way is first to soak, which essentially par-cooks them, and then to finish cooking them in the pan, adding more water as they absorb the sauce.

I’d also believed that Pad Thai was primarily about these noodles, but now I feel that the mung bean sprouts have been getting short shrift. You can really load them in, almost one-to-one volume wise, to the noodles. They brilliantly keep the dish tasting and feeling fresh and light, with so much juicy contrast.

With the bright crunch of the sprouts, a more explicit nod to spring felt apt, so I added little coins of asparagus. They tangle into the noodles and pair so nicely with everything else — the shiitake strips, scallions, peanuts, sprouts, and tofu — scratching the Pad Thai itch, but happily making it its own thing, too.

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Springtime Pad Thai