Recipe: Pad Thai

It’s the staple dish of Thailand and often the most popular item on the menu at Thai restaurants: pad Thai. This hardy noodle dish is a harmonious blend of spices and textures.

Here are two tips to cooking a successful vegan pad Thai: Do not soak the noodles for too long, and cook over high heat.

Pad Thai

16-oz. pkg. flat rice noodles
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lime juice
1 tsp. tamarind paste
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 fresh chili pepper, minced, or 1 tsp. dried chili pepper flakes
8 oz. firm tofu, crumbled, or cut into 1/2-in. cubes
2-3 Tbsp. sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 carrots, julienned
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup peanuts, crushed
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Optional garnishes: cilantro, fresh lime slices, blanched broccoli florets, toasted sesame seeds, julienned red peppers, 1/2 banana flower

• Soak the noodles in warm water until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Make a peanut sauce by combining the soy sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste, peanut butter, sugar and chili pepper in a bowl and set aside.
• Cook the tofu in 1 tablespoonful of the peanut sauce and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and sauté the garlic, ginger and shallot for 1 minute.
• Add the carrots and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the noodles, bean sprouts, 1/4 cup of the peanuts, 2 green onions, half of the tofu, and the peanut sauce.
• Stir and cook until the sauce is slightly thick, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place in a large serving bowl and top with the remaining tofu, peanuts, green onions, and your choice of garnishes.

Makes 4 servings

Posted by Jason Baker