Just when you thought pad thai couldn’t get any better, I hit you with a crispy version! Okay, this dish isn’t actually known as crispy pad thai. It’s called mee krob song kreung which can be translated to “crispy noodles deluxe.” But that doesn’t really tell you much about what’s going on here, and the ingredients (tamarind, beansprouts, garlic chives, tofu, etc..) and the flavour balance (sweet, salty, sour) are very similar to pad thai – so I prefer “crispy pad thai” as it is a much more informative name.
This recipe is part 2 of my mee krob series. In the first post I shared how to make the sweet and sour crispy noodles and have it on its own as a savoury snack. And in this post I share how to turn those noodles into a luxurious meal in minutes. So you will need to check out part 1 first for the complete recipe.
Dressing Up Mee Krob
The “mother recipe” for this dish is mee krob or sweet and sour crispy noodle treats which can be eaten as snacks on their own, and are very addictive. But this dish is a great way to dress up the mee krob and turn them into a meal.
To be honest I think once you start snacking on mee krob, you’ll probably eat it all in a very short time, so if you want to make crispy pad thai I suggest setting some aside in advance. Not to mention it’s easier to make it from noodles that have not been compacted into blocks.
What You’ll Need:
Here are all the ingredients you’ll need to make mee krob song kreuang. Very similar to pad thai, right? The only two differences here are the noodles and using cashews instead of peanuts.
Some Ingredient Notes:
NO AMOUNTS NEEDED. Yes, isn’t that great? I’ve provided ingredient amounts in the recipe but you don’t really need them, except for the fish sauce amount for the egg ribbons (which I forgot to include in the photo!). Since the noodles are already perfectly seasoned, everything else here are just add-ins, and you can add as much or as little of each ingredient as you want.
If you like a lot of noodles and only a little bit of other stuff, great. You want a lot of bean sprouts and tofu for something healthier? That works too. Having said that, you might find it helpful to watch the video below for a visual guide of approximately how much to add.
PRESSED TOFU. This is the firmest type of tofu available, and it’s sometimes sold under the name “bean curd.” There are generally 2 types, “plain” and “marinated” (the marinated is sometimes called “savoury”). Either will work, but here I am using marinated which is brown on the outside. It doesn’t have a strong flavour, so you don’t need to change anything in the recipe if you use the plain type. You can find these at Asian grocery stores where all the other tofus are.
GARLIC CHIVES. If you don’t have garlic chives you can use green onions instead, but if you do I would chop them small as they are stronger tasting than garlic chives.
SHRIMP. Shrimp are the most classic protein, but you can also substitute chicken instead, or omit and add more tofu. If using chicken, I would marinate it with a little bit of soy sauce or fish sauce so that it will have some flavour in itself. The recipe card below will have more details on this.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Crispy Pad Thai
Here’s a bird’s eye view of the process, but as I mentioned, this post doesn’t include how to make the noodles themselves, so if you haven’t seen that, check out the Sweet and Sour Crispy Noodles Recipe first. I also recommend you check out the full crispy pad thai video tutorial in the recipe card below to ensure success.
Crispy Pad Thai – Mee Krob Song Kreuang
Ingredients
Check Out Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use
Notes
- The amounts below are provided for the whole recipe of mee krob. If you’re not cooking the whole batch, you can simply estimate the amounts of add-ins as they do not need to be precise.
- If using chicken instead, thinly slice and marinate. For every 8 oz of chicken, marinate in 2 teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water for at least 15 minutes.
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video to ensure success. If you enjoy them, consider subscribing to the YouTube Channel to not miss an episode. Thank you!
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Instructions
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Make the egg ribbons by beating the eggs and the fish sauce with a fork until there are no more streaks of egg white left.
3 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoon fish sauce
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Heat a nonstick skillet or a well-seasoned wok over medium heat. Once hot, add oil to lightly coat the bottom and pour in about half of the egg, or as much as the pan can hold while keeping it crepe-thin.
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Once the egg is set enough to flip, use a spatula to flip the eggs to cook the other side; it is okay if it breaks since we will cut it up later. Remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly
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Once the egg is cool enough to handle, cut into ribbons.
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Heat a wok over high heat and add just enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the shrimp, or whatever protein you are using, without crowding the pan; you may need to do this in batches. Allow the shrimp to cook without moving until at least halfway cooked, then flip and sear the other side until done. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
1 lb shrimp or other protein of your choice
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Note: for this part, divide up the noodles so you’re only putting in the wok as much as you can comfortably toss. In the same pan you used to cook the protein, add the tofu and sauté over medium heat until heated through and browned slightly.
9 oz pressed tofu
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Add the noodles and toss for a minute or so until they heat up and start to loosen and become pliable. Then add the beansprouts, garlic chives and omelette ribbons, and toss everything together for 30 seconds or so to heat and wilt the beansprouts slightly.
1 recipe mee krob crispy noodles, 3 cups bean sprouts, 12 stalks garlic chives
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Plate the noodles, then top with the shrimp, cashews, and a side of lime wedge. You can garnish with some chopped cilantro or julienned bell pepper for some colour, and add a small handful of eggs and bean sprouts on the side if desired. Serve immediately – and you will want to squeeze the lime over the noodles when you eat!
1 cup Roasted cashews, Julienned red pepper for garnish, 6 Lime wedges, Chopped cilantro
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