Pad Thai can’t make less spicy easily because some recipes include chili flakes in tamarind paste which is hard to remove after cooking. If you want to enjoy Pad Thai without the heat, Here’s how you can make it less spicy.
Here is a quick way to save Pad Thai dish from being spicy, sweeten it by adding sugar or brown sugar to cut the heat. Added some lime or vinegar will also cut the chili’s spiciness. You can eat every bite with banana blossom or bean sprouts to save spicy and get the fresh taste of Pad Thai.
If it is still hot, In this article, we will give you more tips for making Pad Thai less spicy.
Before Cooking
Many believe the best way to make Pad Thai is to include chili flakes in the tamarind paste. However, this is the primary source of spiciness in the dish. If you want to cook Pad Thai at home, the simple tip is not to put chili flakes in tamarind paste. Some recipes also include chili paste in tamarind paste, which can be challenging to remove after cooking.
Doing this will not change the dish’s flavor; Pad Thai still gives flavor from shallot, coconut sugar, and tamarind.
5 Ways to Make Pad Thai Less Spicy After Cooking
Do not add chili flakes to the dish.
Pad Thai is also served with banana blossoms, bean sprouts, ground peanuts, chili flakes, and slices of lime as side dishes. Chili flakes are also an option for those who want to add more spiciness to their dish. If you can not handle the heat, do not add chili flakes to your Pad Thai.
Eat with Banana Blossom and Bean Sprouts
These two vegetables are plain and have a cooling effect. Eating Pad Thai with bean sprouts and banana blossoms can help reduce the dish’s spiciness.
If it doesn’t have banana blossom and bean sprouts, you can add other vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, or cucumber.
Add sugar or brown sugar
Sugar is an essential ingredient in Pad Thai. It can help to cut the chili’s spiciness and make the dish less spicy.
You can add sugar or brown sugar according to your taste. If you want to make it less sweet, add a little sugar. And if you’re going to make it sweeter, add more sugar.
Ordering Chicken Soup
Pad Thai restaurants also have Khao Mun Gai on the menu. It is poached chicken served over rice with ginger sauce. You can order chicken soup from a chef. Most street food in Thailand gives chicken soup for free. It helps to ease the spiciness of chili. Pour some soup over your Pad Thai. It will help to make the dish less spicy. Half spoons or one spoon is suitable for most people.
Don’t drink water or soda
Water and soda are not good options when you want to reduce the spiciness of chili. It can make the spiciness more intense. I recommend an acid drink like orange juice, pineapple juice, and lime juice. Or milk drink, such as coconut milk or Thai Milk Tea.
Is Pad Thai Supposed to be Spicy?
Yes, Pad Thai is supposed to be spicy; the spiciness of Pad Thai came from dried Thai pepper flakes inside tamarind paste. But since it is prevalent worldwide, some countries like America and Australia make it less spicy to match their taste. So, if you order Pad Thai in these countries, don’t be surprised if it’s not as spicy as you expect.
Even in Thailand, the spiciness level varies from place to place. Some restaurant makes a very spicy Pad Thai please the locals. So, if you’re in Thailand and want to try the authentic Pad Thai, ask the chef how spicy it is before ordering.
The varies of Pad Thai you can expect are:
- Mild – It is not spicy; some restaurants don’t use chili flakes in tamarind paste. They also added a lot of tofu to the dish.
- Medium is a bit spicy; some restaurants use chili flakes in tamarind paste, but the amount is 1 – 3 chili in the sauces.
- Hot – It is very spicy; the restaurants use a lot of chili flakes in tamarind paste. They also put fresh chili as side dishes.
What flavors can you expect with Pad Thai?
The flavor of Pad Thai should be a balance between sour, sweet, salty, and spicy. The perfect Pad Thai has a proportion of all these flavors.
Which One is hotter, Pad Thai or Drunken Noodles?
Drunken Noodles is spicier than Pad Thai because it uses fresh black peppers, fresh chili, garlic, and Thai basil leaves. While Pad Thai only uses dried chili flakes, it is an optional ingredient.
The spiciness of both dishes can be adjusted according to your taste. If you want a less spicy drunken noodle, request no fresh chili, and reduce the amount of black pepper. For Pad Thai, don’t add chili flakes to tamarind paste; add sugar to the dish.
You can also ask for mild, medium, or hot when you order these dishes in a restaurant. But since every chef has their recipe, the spiciness level may not be the same as what you expect. So, it is better to ask before ordering.
Final Thoughts
As a person who eats Pad Thai a lot, I find that the best way to enjoy this dish is by customizing it to your taste. To make it less spicy, you can add or remove ingredients, such as sugar, bean sprouts, and chili flakes. Or you can order chicken soup and eat it with Pad Thai.
I hope these tips will help you enjoy Pad Thai even if you’re not a fan of spicy food. If you have any other questions about Pad Thai, feel free to ask me in the comments below.
