[SanduneCC]

Any Thai experts here?

I follow this recipe to make pad thai but it doesn't give off the red color that I see when ordered in restaurants. So where does the red coloring come from in authentic Thai dishes?

http://importfood.com/recipes/tstirfryNoodle.html

[nickg]

they could be using a red curry or tandoori paste to give it the color along with added flavor.

[4eyes]

Employee expectorated betel nut

[Dandapani]

I never noticed it being "red". The shrimp are pink, however.

[SanduneCC]

Originally posted by dmobrien2001
[B]I never noticed it being "red". The shrimp are pink, however.

See how your picture has more color than this one. There's definitely some kind of food coloring going on. The same thing is true with Thai fried rice for instance, it's always redder than, say, Chinese fried rice.

[nickg]

Originally posted by SanduneCC
There's definitely some kind of food coloring going on. The same thing is true with Thai fried rice for instance, it's always redder than, say, Chinese fried rice.

i'm still say it's red curry paste.

as far as the rice, they could be using saffron which would add color to it as well but it would be more "golden" color than a deep red i would think.

[antediluvianist]

Try Tom Yum soup. It's all red, and it's all hot, and it's all chili (not the Mexican kind.) Similar to Saos Padang in Indonesia, but a soup. Sambal, anyone? Naturally red. Small, red, although sometimes green, very hot chilis. Maybe some food coloring for western restaurants as the authentic hot stuff might not go down well. .

[nursetim]

My wife who is Thai tells me that tamarind paste gives it the reddish brown color. She also tells me that in America they are using tomato paste. Please don't do that, it tastes like crap that way.

[Glockerel]

I've seen recipes for Pad Thai that have paprika, ground red hot pepper and even saw one that had a little ketchup in it!