Authentic Sen Chan Noodles with Seafood
Recipe Overview
Overview
This Sen Chan recipe is a delightful twist on the classic Pad Thai, offering a simpler yet equally satisfying alternative. The dish is characterized by its chewy rice noodles and a vibrant chili paste that infuses the dish with a rich flavor. The use of both shrimp and crab adds a seafood essence that elevates the overall taste, making it a perfect weeknight meal.
The preparation is straightforward, starting with the chili paste made from dried chilies, garlic, and shallots, which are pounded into a rough paste. This step is crucial as it sets the foundation for the dish’s flavor. The addition of palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind creates a harmonious balance of sweet, salty, and sour notes that are essential in Thai cuisine.
Cooking the noodles in the flavorful sauce allows them to absorb all the deliciousness, and the final touch of fresh vegetables like bean sprouts and cucumber adds a refreshing crunch. This dish not only satisfies your taste buds but also showcases the beauty of Thai cooking with its vibrant colors and textures.
Overall, Sen Chan is a fantastic option for those looking to explore beyond Pad Thai while still enjoying the comforting flavors of Thai cuisine. It’s a dish that can be made quickly and easily, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
Recipe Details
Steps & Tips
Cut dried chilies with scissors to remove seeds.
Tip: Removing seeds from dried chilies will help tone down the heat.
Grind the chilies in a coffee grinder or pestle.
Pound garlic into a paste.
Add chopped shallots and ground dried chilies to the garlic paste and pound into a rough paste.
Combine fish sauce, tamarind, and water in a bowl.
Tip: When using other brands of rice noodles, ensure you get the right size for the dish.
Soak rice noodles in room temperature water for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Tip: Soak noodles in room temperature water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the brand.
Gather bean sprouts, garlic chives, and cucumber.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add chili paste to the pan and sauté to infuse the oil.
Add palm sugar to the pan and let it dissolve.
Add the fish sauce, tamarind, and water mixture to the pan.
Turn up the heat and cook shrimp in the sauce until fully cooked.
Turn off the heat and remove shrimp from the pan, leaving the sauce.
Turn the heat back on medium-high and add all the noodles to the pan.
Let the noodles cook until done, adjusting with water as necessary.
Tip: Keep a splash of water handy to adjust the noodle texture while cooking.
Tip: Soaking time affects how much water you need to add during cooking.
Return shrimp and crab to the pan with the noodles.
Add bean sprouts and garlic chives to the pan.
Toss everything together in the pan.
Turn off the heat once the noodles are done.
Top the dish with more crab.
Serve the dish with extra vegetables on the side.
Serve with a wedge of lime on the side.
Tip: Taste the dish to determine if you need extra lime for acidity.
Ingredients
Ingredient: Shellfish
→ Substitution: Tofu
Nutrition
Skill Level
Frequently asked questions
Below you will find answers to the most common questions about this recipe.
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Interesting Tidbits
- •Sen Chan is a noodle dish from Chantaburi, Thailand, known for its chewy rice noodles.
- •The dish is typically made with crab, but shrimp is a more accessible alternative.
- •Removing seeds from chilies can help tone down the heat and make them easier to grind.
- •Palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste are key ingredients that provide a sweet, salty, and sour flavor profile.
