Aromatic Tofu Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of those dishes that has to be done right. I’ve had many, many poorly done pad thais that have led me to my own recipe. This perfect creation that is tangy, sweet, pungent and full of umami.

For those of you that read my “About Me” you know that i lived abroad in Saudi Arabia. While living there, we often vacationed in Thailand, as many of the expatriates do. Traveling to Thailand opens your eyes to so many things. The smells, flavors, smiles, sounds of sizzling woks, etc, etc. I could go on and on about the beauty of this country. However, my favorite thing about Thailand is the food. I’m not talking about your local Thai restaurant down the street, i’m talking about authentic and delicious street food from alleyways. Better than any 5 star Thai restaurant you’ve ever visited. One incredible thing about Thai food is their ability to use bitter, sweet, sour and savory all in one meal. Now, i will say that Pad Thai isn’t THE dish in Thailand, it’s just a dish that has become popular in the west. I’ve taken my travels to Thailand and my love for this cuisine and created my version of an authentic Pad Thai. One that’s accessible with ingredients we have here but still boasts that foreign touch.

I’ve made this pad Thai dish vegetarian, but you can add any protein you like. This would be particularly delicious with some large prawns! Also, this version of pad Thai is not overly saucy. You’ll notice in Thailand (and Asia as a whole) doesn’t have many meals that have sweet and sticky sauces like we have here in the west. If you like excess sauce in your noodles, you can double the sauce recipe and add a touch more sugar to give you that sweet and sticky sauce.

Give this recipe a try! Share your comments and some love. If you make this recipe and share it on social media, tag it with the hashtag #hungrilyhomemaderecipe

Total Time: 25 minutes prep time, 25 minutes cook time

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

for the noodles

1. 1/2 package of extra firm tofu

2. 2 tbsp coconut oil

3. 1 package of medium sized rice noodles (12 oz package)

4. 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

5. 2 green onions, diced

6. 1 egg

7. 1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts

for the sauce

1. 3 tbsp soy sauce

2. 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate

3. 4 tbsp fish sauce

4. 2 tbsp granulated sugar

4. squeeze of lime juice

5. 1/4 tsp sesame oil

6. 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Method:

1. Submerge your noodles into cold tap water and soak for 20-30 minutes.

2. While your noodles are soaking, prepare your tofu by cutting it into 1 inch cubes. Pat the tofu dry before cutting to ensure the liquid does not splash and burn you when you fry them.

3. Heat a large skillet and add your coconut oil to it. Once your oil is hot, add your tofu cubes and brown each side. This whole process should take about 10 minutes. You want all sides to appear golden in color. Remove them once they begin to form a golden crust and drain them on a plate with paper towels. Keep your skillet and do not remove any remaining coconut oil, we will use this for the cooking of the noodles.

4. Prepare your sauce by adding all of your sauce ingredients into a bowl and whisking until your sugar is almost completely dissolved. Set aside and begin your cooking process.

5. In the same skillet you cooked your tofu, add your crushed garlic and your diced green onions. Allow to gently fry until you smell the garlic and onion aroma, as soon as you smell the onion and garlic, crack your egg in the skillet and scramble with your onion and garlic.

6. Pour your prepared sauce into the skillet with the egg, onion and garlic. Simmer on low for 30 seconds.

7. Drain your noodles and add them to the skillet with the sauce. You want to turn the heat up to medium and use tongs to continuously work the sauce into the noodles without overcooking. This process requires your attention. Do not let it just sit on the stove while you do something else. Ensure that all of the noodles are coated with the sauce and begin to wilt as the heat and sauce work their magic! It should take about 3-5 minutes for the noodles to be completely cooked.

8. Add your tofu to the skillet as the noodles appear to be close to complete and toss them in the sauce. Do not allow your tofu to get smooshed and crushed.

9. Remove from the heat and garnish with bean sprouts, crushed peanuts & an extra squeeze of lime juice! Enjoy!