One of my absolute favourite dishes is Pad Thai. There was a time when it was the only thing I wanted when we went out for dinner, if it was on the menu, I would order it. It never occurred to me that I could make it at home. When I became vegan, all of a sudden, my favourite dish was off-limits because it contained fish sauce, egg and chicken. I had yet to discover that there were restaurants that made vegan-friendly Pad Thai, so I was left with either not eating Pad Thai ever again (I cry just thinking about a world without Pad Thai) or finding a way to make the dish that I loved at home. That’s when I set out to make a great tasting plant-based version of the dish I loved. Best decision ever! This recipe is sweet and tangy like the original with tofu as the protein. With this combination of flavours, you won’t even miss the fish sauce.
Rice noodles – Flat fettuccini like noodles are traditional in this dish and there is a variety of them in the stores. Where I live, I can buy President's Choice products and their rice noodle is quite good and very easy to cook. Just place in boiled water for three minutes and you’re done.
Sesame Oil – You can always substitute with mild vegetable oil, but sesame oil lends to the overall flavour of this dish.
Tofu – A great way to add extra protein to any dish. No need to press the water out of the tofu, blot dry with a paper towel just before you cut it up and that is good enough.
Mung Bean Sprouts – Make sure you place mung beans in boiled water for three minutes then strain and rinse in cold water before you add them to your vegetables in the wok.
Red Pepper – peppers are one of my favourite vegetables to add to this dish, but you can get creative and add any kind of vegetable you prefer. For example, broccoli, cauliflower, and julienned carrots are also all great additions.
Green Onions – chives or yellow cooking onions can be a substitute.
Garlic – Fresh is best but the prechopped, in a jar kind, or garlic paste will work too.
Tomato Paste – I have used ketchup when I was out of tomato paste, but if you use ketchup, cut down the sugar by 1 tablespoon.
Soy Sauce – I prefer to use a light soy sauce, but if you only have regular soy sauce, you may need to add a couple of extra tablespoons of water to balance out the salt. Add the extra water after you have added the lime, so you can adjust the saltiness once all the flavours have cooked together. If you’d like this recipe to be gluten-free use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.
Brown Sugar – Real maple syrup or agave can replace brown sugar.
Rice Vinegar – I have tried this recipe with apple cider vinegar and it changes the overall flavour a bit, but it is still good. If you try it with a different vinegar than mentioned her I would love to hear how it turns out.
Tamarind Paste – I live in a very diverse area and have access to all types of grocery stores and foods of many cultures. If you have a difficult time finding this paste you can try Amazon or if need be, it can be omitted. Tamarind does however help give that unique tartness and umami to the Pad Thai sauce.
White Miso – Also known as sweet or mellow miso is milder in flavour than the darker vaterites. Most miso’s are gluten-free but check the ingredients if you are gluten sensitive.
Fresh lime juice – I like to add the lime juice once the sauce once it is on low so that it does not boil. This helps preserve the freshness of the lime flavour.
Siracha – If you like it spicy then as much as your heart desires. You can also replace it with a red chilli oil or any spice your like. Be aware that some spices will change the flavour of the sauce.
Chopped peanuts – Can be omitted but give it that authentic taste
Cilantro – Love it or hate it, it’s up to you!
Pad Thai
Ingredients
225g pad thai rice noodles, cooked according to package directions, immediately rinsed with cold water so they don’t over-cook.
2 tbsp sesame (divided)
350g block of extra firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
4 oz mung bean sprouts
1 red pepper
1 bunch green onions
Sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
6 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp mellow white miso
¼ cup water
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp Siracha or omit for a mild version
Topping
½ cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
Chopped cilantro
Fresh lime juice to taste
Instructions
1. In a small saucepan heat sesame oil on medium-high heat, then add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, miso, water and whisk together until simmering. Turn heat down to low while you are cooking your tofu and veggies.
3. In a large frypan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil on high heat, then add tofu and cook (tossing frequently) until golden brown. Remove from pan/wok and set aside.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and place your veggies in pan/wok and cook until just softened.
5. Meanwhile cook your rice noodles according to package direction, until they are al dente, then rinse in cold water and set aside.
6. Put the tofu with the veggies and toss, add your rice noodles and toss
7. Add the lime juice to your sauce and pour sauce over noodle mixture, reserving ¼ of the sauce to pour on when plated if desired (I love mine extra saucy)
8. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
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