Authentic Pad Tai - Vegan Style
We met a British wood-fired Italian pizza chef in New Zealand who's favourite dish is the classic Thai dish: Pad Thai.
I know what he means, Thai food is fresh, light and colourful. This quick, authentic vegan Pad Thai is perfect for a Summer evening or a hot day. It will make you feel full in a light energising way.
Serves 3
30 minutes cooking time, when you do it the second time
| Ingredients | |
| 4 spring onion, thinly sliced | |
| 2 small Red Thai chilis, roughly chopped | |
| 4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped | |
| 1 carrot, really thinly sliced* | |
| 250 g firm tofu, sliced | |
| 4 tbsp soya sauce | |
| 3 tbsp coconut sugar | |
| 250 g rice noodles - soaked and ready to use | |
| 150 g beansprouts | |
| 2/3 - 1 cup peanuts, finely chopped | |
| 1-2 limes + some for serving | |
| chili flakes | |
| sesame seed oil |
| Method | |
| 1) | Get the ingredients ready and prepped. Pan-fry the thinly sliced tofu until crispy on the outside, using a generous splash of oil, a little salt and black pepper. |
| 2) | Remove the tofu. Keep the frying pan hot and add a dash of oil, fry the spring onions and the chilis. |
| 3) | As they go soft add the carrots, fry for a couple of minutes. |
| 4) | Then add the tomatoes, fry just a few minutes, take the veggies of the pan (don’t let them go mushy by over cooking them. Keep them quite fresh and crunchy). Keep them aside. |
| 5) | Combine sugar and soya sauce. |
| 6) | Using the same pan, again heat to add 2/3 of the beansprouts and all of the rice noodles. Stir in the soya sauce-sugar mixture. Squeeze the limes over the pan and stir in. |
| 7) | Add the veggies to the limy-noodle mixture. |
Plate up or serve in pan, top with fresh bean sprouts, peanuts and wedges of lime and chilli flakes on the side.
This is best enjoyed with sticks, just because it feels so good not to get all those metal tools in your mouth – when did we come up with knife and fork?
* Most other Pad Thai recipes ask for grated carrot, but I find the veggies to go a bit soggy and sad looking. Rather thinly slice with a knife to add a gentle fresh crunch and a warm, orange holy looking dish.
