Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of Thailand's national dishes. Traditionally, it is a dish that consists of stir-fried rice noodles, eggs, an assortment of vegetables, with some occasional meat thrown in and covered in a light, spicy sauce. This dish was easy to put together and tastes extremely delicious!



Pad Thai
8 ounces rice stick noodles
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup mirin*
3 Tbs ketchup
3 Tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs sriracha or another chili sauce
2 Tbs coconut or canola oil
14 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into small cubes
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

To drain and press the tofu, place the tofu in a bowl with a paper or kitchen towel underneath. Take another towel and soak the water off the top of the tofu. Then take another dry towel and place it on top of the tofu with a bowl or can (anything with some weight)on top. Leave the tofu this way for about 15 minutes. With the water pressed out of it, the tofu will cook much better. After the tofu has been pressed, cut it into small cubes.

Fill a large pot about halfway with water and bring to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, put in the rice noodles for about 2-3 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain and set the noodles aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the agave, mirin, ketchup, tamari, lime juice, and sriracha. Set the sauce aside.

To bring out a stronger flavor in the peanuts, place them in a dry skillet (no oil or anything) and cook them on high heat for a few minutes until they begin to smell strong and flavorful. This will add to the overall flavor of the dish.

Heat the coconut or canola oil in a 12 to 14-inch wok or skillet over high heat. Add the tofu and cook for about 5 minutes. Add to the skillet the onion and the garlic and cook another minute or so. Add the rice noodles and sauce mixture and cook until everything is well coated in the sauce and heated through. Finally, add in the scallions, bean sprouts and carrots and cook until all the ingredients are well combined and hot. Transfer to plates and top with the cilantro and peanuts.

Serves 4 to 5.



*Mirin is a type of sweet rice wine that is often used in Asian cooking. You can usually find it in the foreign foods section of your grocery store or in an Asian market or health foods store.