Penrith is a suburban area of Sydney, Australia. It is well known for the Head of riverboat races and the Museum of fire. It has become the home for authentic Asian street food, and noodles dominate Asian street food. Noodles are thin and long strips made of dough. They are the staple food in many Asian countries like China, Korea and Thailand. Finding cuisine from Thai in Penrith is not tricky. Noodles originated in China, and other countries adopted them, and rice noodles and wheat noodles are the staple foods in Thailand. Fermented rice is used to make rice noodles, and it is served with curries and salads.
The story behind Thai noodles
The rice is aged for several months to make Thai noodles. It is stored in a container for several months, and it ages. The rice undergoes physio thermal changes naturally. The stored rice is fermented and processed into a wet-milled flour by rolling it through a mill. Gluten is not present in rice, and it is difficult for binding. Pregelatinization is a process that helps to form a cohesive, sticky dough. The noodles get a glossier appearance and chewable texture by adding tapioca, cornstarch or potato. They are made into thin and long strips, cooked in boiling water and cooled immediately in cold water. They are washed to get a smooth and clean surface and dried thoroughly before storing in jars.
Popular Thai noodle dishes
Pad Thai
A delicious street food, Pad Thai, is a stir-fried rice noodle dish. Shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts, scrambled eggs, vegetables and Thai noodles are used to make this dish. It has a signature salty flavour accompanied by a bit of sweetness. Tamarind juice, soy sauce, palm sugar, red pepper, garlic and lime are the other ingredients in Pad Thai.
Pad Kee Mao
The other name for Pad Kee Mao is drunken noodles, but it has no alcohol. It is very spicy and is commonly found in the streets of Thailand. Thai basil is a special ingredient used in making Pad Kee Mao. It is spicy, savoury and lighter in colour compared to Pad Thai. They are traditionally made with extra-wide rice noodles, fish sauce, green onions, garlic and bean sprouts.
Khao Soi
Khao Soi is hand-cut rice noodles served with soup and topped with meat and tomato sauce.
It tastes like a spicy green and red curry, which is deliciously rich and creamy. It has coconut milk, coriander, tender meat and soy sauce. It is topped with crunchy fried noodles giving it an uncompromising nutty flavour. It is served with cilantro leaves, sliced shallots, lime, pickled mustard and chilli sauce.
Mi Krop
Mi Krop is crisp and made with thin rice noodles. It has a topping of sweet and sour sauce made from lemon juice, tomato paste, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, palm sugar and chillies. Mi Krop has fried shrimp and pork, fried tofu, bean sprouts, chillies and fried egg strips. Mi Krop is sweet crispy noodles, but the acidic lemon juice can balance the flavour.
Pad See Ew
Pad See Ew is fried noodles prepared in black soy sauce to get a caramelized effect. It is made with thick rice noodles with fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. It is delicious and chewy with egg, Chinese broccoli, pork, chicken and tofu. It has a smoky, seared flavour which is enjoyed in every bite as the sauce is a balance of sweet and slightly tangy taste.
People can easily find flavours of Thai in Penrith. Many Australians love Thai food, and Australia has many restaurants catering to the needs of Thai food lovers.
Author: Alisha