Pork fillet and prawn Pad Thai

Take your taste buds on a trip to Bangkok with this take on Pad Thai. Loaded with tender pork fillet, juicy prawns, crunchy peanuts and silky noodles, it’s sensational!

Cut:
  • Portions: 4
  • Prep: 25 minutes, plus 15–20 minutes marinating
  • cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the pork

  • 250 g pork fillet, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) cornflour
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil

For the Pad Thai sauce

  • 3 Tbsp (45 ml) tamarind concentrate
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) light brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) sambal oelek
  • ½ tsp (2.5 ml) chilli crisp (optional)

For the Pad Thai

  • 250 g dried rice noodles
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil, divided
  • 250 g frozen prawns, defrosted, peeled and deveined
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small red chilli, finely sliced
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 C (100 g) bean sprouts
  • 3 spring onions, sliced
  • ½ C (60 g) roasted peanuts, roughly crushed (reserve half for garnishing)
  • ½ C (125 ml) fresh coriander leaves (reserve half for garnishing)

To serve

  • 80 g mung bean sprouts
  • Leftover crushed peanuts
  • Reserved coriander
  • 8–10 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

For the pork:
Place the pork into a bowl and add the soy sauce, cornflour and sesame oil. Toss until evenly coated, then allow to marinate in the fridge for 15–20 minutes. Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of the vegetable oil, followed by the pork in a single layer. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until lightly browned and just cooked through. Remove from the wok and set aside.

For the Pad Thai sauce:
Combine the tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, water, sambal oelek and chilli crisp, if using. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.

For the Pad Thai:
Soak the rice noodles in warm water according to the packet instructions until softened but still slightly firm. Drain thoroughly. Do not fully cook the noodles at this stage, as they will finish cooking in the wok. Return the wok to high heat. Add a little of the remaining vegetable oil, then add the prawns and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Remove and set aside with the pork. Add the remaining oil to the wok, followed by the garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Push the garlic and chilli to one side, pour in the eggs and gently scramble until almost set. Add the drained noodles and pour over the Pad Thai sauce. Toss over high heat for 2–3 minutes, allowing the noodles to absorb the sauce and finish cooking. Return the pork and prawns to the wok. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions and toss for about 1 minute, keeping the sprouts crisp. Remove from the heat and fold through half of the peanuts and coriander.

To serve:
Divide the Pad Thai between serving bowls and add some mung bean sprouts to each. Scatter over the remaining peanuts, coriander and a few basil leaves. Serve immediately with the lime wedges.

Serving suggestion: Serve with extra lime wedges, chilli crisp and fish sauce at the table so everyone can adjust the balance of sour, salty and spicy to taste.