Editorial: Kockums JernverkPublished: 2026-11-06

Prawn pad thai

Name: Prawn pad thai
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 200 g flat rice noodles, about 5 mm wide; 3 tbsp neutral oil; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 250 g raw peeled prawns; 2 eggs; 100 g bean sprouts; 3 spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths; 3 tbsp tamarind paste; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar; 2 tbsp water; 50 ml roasted peanuts, roughly chopped; 1 lime, cut into wedges; Chilli flakes

Serves 2 · 30 minutes · Stir Fry Pan

Pad thai is flat rice noodles stir-fried fast with prawns, egg and a tangy tamarind sauce. A deep carbon steel pan takes the high heat it needs, and the tall sides let you toss the noodles properly.

Pad thai is Thailand's best-known noodle dish: flat rice noodles stir-fried with garlic, prawns and egg in a sauce of tamarind, fish sauce and brown sugar, finished with peanuts and lime. It is best when everything is prepped before you start and the pan is really hot, so the noodles fry rather than turn gummy.

Prawn pad thai with egg, bean sprouts, peanuts and lime in a deep carbon steel Stir Fry Pan

Ingredients

Serves 2

200 g flat rice noodles, about 5 mm wide
3 tbsp neutral oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250 g raw peeled prawns
2 eggs
100 g bean sprouts
3 spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths

Sauce

3 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp water

To serve

50 ml roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Chilli flakes

Method

Soak the noodles in warm, not boiling, water for 10–15 minutes until pliable but still a little firm in the centre. Drain.
Stir together the tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Set everything out next to the hob.
Heat the pan over the highest heat with the oil. Fry the garlic for a few seconds, add the prawns and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until just pink.
Push the prawns to one side, crack the eggs into the space and stir until almost set. Break the egg into pieces.
Add the noodles and pour over the sauce. Toss constantly for 2–3 minutes until the noodles are soft and have soaked up the sauce. Add a splash of water if it looks dry.
Toss in the bean sprouts and spring onions for the last 30 seconds. Serve at once with peanuts, chilli flakes and lime wedges.

Why it works

Carbon steel handles the fierce heat pad thai needs, so the noodles pick up a little colour instead of steaming. The tall, curved sides of the Stir Fry Pan let you toss hard without the noodles landing on the hob.

FAQ

What can I use instead of tamarind paste?

At a push, lime juice with a little extra brown sugar works, but tamarind gives pad thai its typical fruity sourness. Look for it in Asian shops and larger supermarkets.