Stir-fry & noodle saucesGluten-freeDairy-free· GF · DF

Pad Thai Sauce

The sweet, sour and salty heart of pad thai: tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar and chilli.

makes 14 cubes, about 16p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Pad Thai Sauce
Time
10 min5 min prep · 5 min cook
Makes
14 cubes
Cost per cubePer cube
16p
Calories per cubeCalories
63 kcal
A serving
2 cubes
Spice
2 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size
  • 150gtamarind paste
  • 120mlfish sauce
  • 120gpalm or light brown sugar
  • 3gchilli flakes
  • 2 cloves (10g)garlic, grated
  • 100mlwater

Allergens: Fish. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Method

  1. Step 1: Put everything in a small pan over a low heat.
  2. Step 2: Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
  3. Step 3: Simmer for 2 minutes. Taste: it should be equally sweet, sour and salty.
  4. Step 4: Cool.
  5. Step 5: Pour into 30ml trays and freeze.
Nutrition (estimated)
kcalproteincarbsfatfibresalt
Per cube630.8g15.2g0.1g0.6g3.47g
Per 2 cubes1261.6g30.4g0.2g1.2g6.94g

Cook’s notes

  • Two cubes per portion of noodles; toss them in after the noodles and egg.
  • Use soy instead of fish sauce for a vegetarian version.

Use it for

  • Chicken or prawn pad thai for one · 2 cubes
  • Tofu pad thai · 2 cubes
  • Dressing for a noodle salad · 1 cube

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze
Cool it within two hours, freeze it in 30ml ice-cube trays, then bag and label the cubes. It keeps for 4 months.
Use from frozen
Straight from frozen into the wok after the noodles. Never refreeze thawed cubes.
A portion
2 cubes is a serving: about 126 kcal.

Pad Thai Sauce questions

What kind of tamarind should I use?

A soft tamarind paste is easiest. If you have a block, soak it in hot water, push it through a sieve and use the pulp; concentrate is much stronger, so use less and add water.

What else can I use it for?

Toss it through egg-fried rice or stir-fried vegetables, or brush it over chicken wings in the last few minutes of cooking.

What if it tastes too sour?

Tamarind varies a lot between brands. Add a little more sugar while it simmers, a teaspoon at a time, until it tastes balanced.

Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates.

Cooking Pad Thai Sauce