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Easier Weeknight Pad Thai Sen Chan Crab

A quick and comforting Pad Thai featuring luxurious Sen Chan crab, perfect for busy weeknights.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Noodles
  • 6 oz dry rice noodles (3 mm wide) Look for high-quality rice noodles for the best texture.
Spices and Aromatics
  • 0.3 oz dried chilies Adjust the heat level based on preference.
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots
Cooking Essentials
  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 1.6 oz palm sugar (about 3.5 tablespoons packed) Use brown sugar if palm sugar is unavailable.
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 Tablespoons Thai tamarind paste Key for tangy sweetness.
  • 2.5 Tablespoons fish sauce Can substitute for vegetarian version.
Proteins
  • 10 to 12 medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined Fresh shrimp enhances flavor.
  • 3.5 oz crab meat Highly recommended for flavor.
Vegetables
  • 1.5 cups bean sprouts Plus extra for serving.
  • 4 stalks garlic chives, cut into 2-inch pieces Plus extra for garnish.
  • 2 baby cucumbers, halved and sliced
  • Lime wedges for serving

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Soak the rice noodles in room temperature water for 30 minutes to 1 hour until tender.
  2. Prepare dried chilies: Remove seeds and grind into a fine powder or soak and pound into a paste.
  3. Make chili-garlic paste: Pound garlic and shallots into a paste, incorporating the ground chilies.
Cooking
  1. Mix the sauce: In a bowl, combine tamarind paste, fish sauce, and water.
  2. Sauté: Heat oil in a wok over medium heat, add chili paste and cook for about 1 minute.
  3. Dissolve palm sugar: Stir in palm sugar until dissolved, then add tamarind mixture and bring to boil for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Cook the shrimp: Add shrimp to sauce, cooking until pink, then remove and set aside.
  5. Combine noodles: Add soaked noodles to wok, stir and coat with sauce for about 3-5 minutes.
  6. Finish with veggies: Stir in bean sprouts, garlic chives, shrimp, and crab until combined and warmed through.
  7. Plate and serve: Transfer to serving platters and garnish with crab, bean sprouts, cucumber, and lime wedges.

Notes

Don’t rush the soaking of your noodles! Fresh ingredients are best for flavor. Adjust spiciness to your liking.