Although there are uncountable attractions in Thailand, Thai dishes are some of the most spectacular things that many individuals love about the country. The dishes in this country come in different forms and tastes; hence, there is something for almost everyone. One of the topmost dishes in Thailand is Pad Thai. If you have tasted this dish before, you may be wondering if it is supposed to be spicy or not. Well, this article will provide answers to your varying questions about the spiciness of Pad Thai.
Pad Thai is meant to be spicy as many Thais prefer this popular dish to be spicy. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you can reduce the spiciness of the meal. You just need to follow some of the tricks described above in this article to achieve the level of spiciness you want for your Pad Thai.
What is Pad Thai?
Before explaining whether Pad Thai is supposed to be spicy or not, let’s describe what this dish is all about. Basically, it is a noodle-based dish with a spicy flavor. As the name suggests, Pad Thai originated from Thailand and is believed to be one of the best foods from South East Asia.
Since Pad Thai is a national dish of Thailand, you will likely come across this meal whenever and wherever you visit in Thailand. Apart from the fancy restaurants in Bangkok and other cities, many street hawkers also sell Pad Thai. Hence, you can be certain that the dish is everywhere.
This well-known stir-fried noodle dish features a wide range of ingredients. The most common ingredients include rice noodles, garlic, tamarind, shallot, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili, onion, etc. It should be noted that some people can add bean sprouts, eggs, roasted, ground peanuts, and other ingredients to their Pad Thai. Also, others may remove chili, garlic, or some of the original ingredients from the dish. Instead of fish, you can add tofu or chicken.
Is Pad Thai supposed to be spicy?
Yes, Pad Thai is supposed to be spicy. In fact, the majority of Thai dishes are meant to be spicy as they contain tons of spices that will turn up the heat you will feel while consuming them. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot reduce the spiciness of the meal and just leave it in the background. This is how some Thais prefer to each their Pad Thai. So, if you want to reduce how spicy Pad Thai is, you can do so without any issue.
Generally, a sweet-savory fusion is the basic target of the food. Therefore, it has lots of spicy ingredients that will make your taste buds do extra work. Notably, it is usually filled with the right flavor that ensures that you feel the heat with every bite.
However, if you don’t want to make your Pad Thai spicy, there are a few tricks you can use. Foremost, you can just reduce the spicy ingredients such as chili in the food. Factually, you may not even add chili, garlic, and other spices to it at all. This is especially possible if you are preparing the dish at home.
Nonetheless, if Pad Thai is already prepared, you can still take a few steps to reduce its spiciness. Generally, the pH level of the spicy Pad Thai is quite high. So, your target should be to find the right ingredients that will neutralize it and lower the spiciness of your Pad Thai. The ingredients that can lower the flaming-hot flavor of the dish include lemon or lime juice, tomato sauce, wine, vinegar. You can also dice pineapple into the dish to reduce how spicy it is.
Is Pad Thai Healthy?
Having shed light on how spicy Pad Thai can be, you may be wondering whether the meal is healthy or not. Like many other dishes, the healthiness of Pad Thai depends on how you prepare it. Lots of people add too much oil to the dish; hence, it may cause certain health risks.
However, if you can keep the oil inside the dish at a minimal level, you can rest assured that it will be healthy. Also, if you choose natural ingredients over chemical-filled, artificial ones, Pad Thai will be healthy.
In general, the dish contains lots of protein and vitamins that are good for your body. Depending on its ingredients, it can also offer some calories.
Therefore, Pad Thai is not just spicy and delicious, but it can also be healthy when prepared properly.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Pad Thai is meant to be spicy as many Thais prefer this popular dish to be spicy. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you can reduce the spiciness of the meal. You just need to follow some of the tricks described above in this article to achieve the level of spiciness you want for your Pad Thai.
