Quite a claim for a dish that's not neither very Thai nor very traditional – the dish's full name, kway teow pad thai, or "stir-fried rice noodles, Thai-style" hints at its probable southern Chinese origins.
According to an article in the journal Gastromica, Thais were supposed to unite behind this noodle dish – and unite they did, for good reason. It's quick street food, a little spicy, a little sweet, and utterly delicious. Who would have thought your takeaway favourite had such an interesting history?
Like many apparently simple dishes, pad thai is quick, but not necessarily easy. Indeed, Leela Punyaratabandhu has a whole series on the basics of pad thai on her excellent blog, She Simmers, starting with picking the appropriate pan. So, this is clearly a recipe that deserves some careful attention.