The History of Pad Thai
Think Thai food- Think Pad Thai!
A Thai-style stir-fried noodle, Pad Thai is widely known for its rich taste and flavors. The dish mainly prepared with rice noodles is a popular street food in Thailand found on every Thai restaurant’s menu. Pad Thai is also the national dish of Thailand and is reckoned as much as rice dishes-the staple Thai food.
Do you know that this iconic dish has a fascinating history dated back to the Second World War? Read the following piece of information.
The History of Pad Thai
Back during World War II, Thailand had a severe rice shortage due to less rice production. Everything was so expensive that people couldn’t afford to buy rice. During this time, the then Prime Minister of Thailand Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram or Chomphon Por promulgated an idea of nationalism in a dish and created this amazing dish- Pad Thai.
Since noodles consumed only 50% of the grain, the Thai Government promoted noodles instead of rice among its people. They were also more economical and cheaper.
Pad Thai, thus, was the wartime creation of a recipe for survival those days. Rice noodle was borrowed from the Chinese kitchen, and local Thai flavors were accustomed to stir-frying the noodles.
How it evolved as Thailand’s National Dish
Pad Thai was created to protect the country’s rice resources and improve the variety of Thai diets, encouraging people to eat noodles instead of rice. This dish created a sense of unity and national identity across the kingdom.
“Noodle is Your Lunch” – A Slogan to Promote Pad Thai
The government used the campaign slogan “Noodle is Your Lunch” to promote Pad Thai heavily up and down the country. The Public Welfare Department even provided the recipes of the dish to restaurants and free carts to people selling Pad Thai in the streets. Meanwhile, the Thai Government banned other foreign and Chinese street vendors from selling.
Pad Thai was slowly adapted among the nationals and is made staple as much as rice.
The historical background states the importance of the dish. Read on to know what it is made of, its adaptations, and its variety.
What is the dish made of?
Originally named Gway Teow Pad Thai, Pad Thai is made of rice noodles. Gway Teow is a Chinese word that means ‘rice noodles.’ Pad means ‘fried,’ and Thai means “Thai style.”
The rice noodle is stir-fried with tofu, eggs, tamarind paste, dried shrimps, fish sauce, garlic, red chili pepper, and palm sugar. The dish is often served with spring onions, lime wedges, raw banana flowers, bamboo shoots, and topped with peanuts.
The Pad Thai sauce consists of a balanced nuance of three tastes: sweetness, saltiness, and sourness. Back then, the sauce used to be homemade by simmering the three main ingredients.
Pad Thai Adaptations & Variety
Pad Thai has been introduced to the world throughout the years. The dish has various adaptations and varieties. It is now made with leaner or healthier substitutes to make it more interesting and fit the current health version.
Pad Thai is also seen with deep-fried wontons replacing the noodle, green papaya shredded into noodle strings, and a glass noodle. Besides, the choice of protein differs from place to place.
Though we have various adaptations of the dish nowadays, the backbone of the dish remains the same- rice noodles, tofu, eggs, and dried shrimps.
Pad Thai thus makes the most famous of Thai dishes and is served across the world.
If you haven’t tried it yet, pack your bags on! Or, try it out yourself at home with our delicious Pad Thai Sauce. Watch our variety of Pad Thai recipe and cooking videos and get inspired to make traditional and fusion Thai recipes at home.