Pad Thai

Long story short, I’m a busy guy who doesn’t have time to blog a lot. It’s been a while since I’ve blogged but it’s also been a very busy past couple of months. Amelia and I are getting ready to move to Kansas City on July 2nd and I’ve been in a summer class and working every day this month. Needless to say, when I get finished with my days it’s not my first thought to update this blog. But tonight is different, I guess. Tonight was Pad Thai night at the Stern house and it was, in a word, amazing. Here’s my best attempt at writing the recipe out. If it doesn’t make sense or the measurements are a little unorthodox, I apologize.

A note about the recipe: I’m vegetarian (though this recipe is vegan) but if you are more omnivorous, feel free to substitute chicken, shrimp, pork, or whatever other protein for the tofu and add scrambled egg if you’d like. Also, this recipe will probably kill anyone with a peanut allergy within a 5 mile radius so please take care to use alternatives to peanuts if necessary. Alright, on to the recipe. Oh, and a picture would be helpful too, eh?

Vegan Pad Thai

Ingredients:

Sauce: (original recipe here)

• 2 tblsp. smooth peanut butter
• 2 tblsp. soy sauce
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• Juice from half a lemon (*I used lime)

1. In a non-stick pan, combine all ingredients, stirring constantly, over medium heat until peanut butter has melted. Remove from heat and reserve.

Pad Thai:

• 1/2 Package “Taste of Thai” straight cut Rice Noodles
• 1 block tofu, drained and sliced into 1/2″ thick, triangle-shaped wedges
• 1/4 c. Peanut Oil
• 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced
• 2-4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• Sriracha sauce, to taste
• Lime juice, to taste
• Soy sauce, to taste
• 1-2 c. Mung Bean Sprouts
• 1 c. crushed unsalted peanuts

1. Place rice noodles in large bowl, cover with very hot tap water and soak for 25-30 minutes. Then drain and set aside
2. Cut tofu into wedges and drain for 25-30 minutes. My draining method is to take a kitchen towel and place it on a large cookie sheet. I then place the tofu wedges on the towel in a single layer and then cover the tofu with a double layer of paper towels. Lastly, I place another cookie sheet on top of the paper towel layer and then place 3-4 soup or bean cans on top of the second cookie sheet to add some weight and make the draining process go faster.
3. While tofu is draining, prep and measure out the remainder of the ingredients.
4. Heat peanut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. While oil is heating, line a cookie sheet with a triple layer of paper towels.
5. Pan fry the tofu wedges in the oil, turning after 4-5 minutes or until a thin crust has formed. Once crust has formed on both sides, place wedges on paper towels to drain. Note: you may have to do more than one batch in order to cook all the tofu.
6. Stir fry the peppers, garlic, scallions, bok choy, and ginger until crisp-tender. Add a bit of soy sauce and 1/2 lime’s worth of juice about halfway into the cooking process.
7. Once vegetables are cooked, add rice noodles, your reserved sauce, and tofu and stir fry until rice noodles are al dente and tofu is warmed through (about 4-5 minutes)
8. Stir in bean sprouts and cilantro, then serve hot. Garnish with crushed peanuts and lime wedges. Add a sprig of cilantro for an even fancier presentation.

This recipe looks a lot more complex than it really is. My best advice for this dish is to have everything you will need completely ready for use. This is what formal chefs call “mise en place.” Your preparedness is of high value with this dish because once you get cooking, the dish comes together real quick.

Bon appétit.