Feast of Plants Pad Thai
One of the ultimate fast and delicious meals, this Pad Thai is easy to make and ideal if you're short on time.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Pad Thai Sauce
- 2 Red Onions finely diced
- 5 Garlic Cloves minced
- 65 grams Palm Sugar
- 60 ml Vegan Fish Sauce
- 2 tbsp Tamarind Paste*
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
For the Stir Fry
- 400 g Block of Firm Tofu pressed & sliced into strips
- 2 tbsp Cornflour
- 3 tbsp Preserved Radish finely chopped (Optional)
- 1 Large Red Onion cut into strips
- 115 g Kale shredded
- 1/2 Head of Broccoli cut into bitesize pieces
- 1 Large Carrot cut into matchsticks
- 100 g Baby Sweetcorn quartered lengthways
- 125 g Thin Asparagus chopped
- 200 g Wide Rice Noodles (often called rice sticks), prepped according to instructions on the pack
- 150 g Beansprouts
- 10 g Chives very roughly chopped
- 1/4 peanuts chopped
For Serving
- Chopped Peanuts
- Lime Quarters
- Chopped Chives
- Beansprouts
- Red Chillies Sliced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan/ 400 F). Well season the cornflour before tossing in the tofu. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before tossing again to give the tofu a chance to soak it in. Place on a lined baking tray in a single layer and spray with a little oil before placing in the oven. Bake until crisp around the edges, about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. This should give your tofu a toothsome texture and allow it survive the stir fry without breaking up.400 g Block of Firm Tofu, 2 tbsp Cornflour
- Don't want to use your oven? Try this method instead; Cube the tofu into thick cubes and dust as above. Heat about a cm of oil in your wok and fry off the cubes until golden brown on all sides. Put to one side until needed.
- Start with the sauce by placing a small pan on a medium high heat. Saute the onions until softened, then add the garlic. Continue to cook until they just start to brown.2 Red Onions, 5 Garlic Cloves
- Lower the heat and place the rest of the sauce ingredients into the pan. Cook gently until the sugar is fully dissolved, stirring often. Taste your sauce and adjust as needed, adding more fish sauce for saltiness, palm sugar for sweetness, chilli for spice or tamarind for that sour kick. Remember that the taste of the sauce will be diluted once added to the noodles so it should be balanced but strong. Keep the sauce on a low heat until ready for it.65 grams Palm Sugar, 60 ml Vegan Fish Sauce, 2 tbsp Tamarind Paste*, 2 tbsp Water, 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
- Now we’re going to stir fry so make sure all your ingredients are ready and in easy access to you stove – you won’t have time to chop once you get started. Place your wok on a very high heat with a little oil. When the oil starts to shimmer add the onion and radish and cook until starting to brown. Next add the broccoli and kale and continue to stir fry until bright and shiny. Now add in the carrot, asparagus and sweetcorn. Continue to stir fry until the carrot has softened ever so slightly.3 tbsp Preserved Radish, 1 Large Red Onion, 115 g Kale, 1/2 Head of Broccoli, 1 Large Carrot, 100 g Baby Sweetcorn, 125 g Thin Asparagus
- Turn the heat down to medium high then add in the noodles and sauce. Stir fry until the sauce is well combined and the noodles are heated through. Finally, add in the tofu along with the rest of the ingredients and stir fry until warmed through and your tofu is coated in sauce.200 g Wide Rice Noodles, 150 g Beansprouts, 10 g Chives, 1/4 peanuts
- Serve immediately, topped with chopped peanuts for that extra crunch and a slice of lime. I like to put a dish on the table with extra toppings so everyone can tailor their portion as they like it, some like chillies for more heat and others some lime to make the sauce pop.
Notes
*Every jar of tamarind paste is a little different so if you’re using one you haven't opened before, add it half a tablespoon at a time and taste as you go to make sure the sauce has the right taste.
Allergy Notes; This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegan. If nuts are an allergen for you then just skip the peanuts – you can add a handful of toasted mixed seeds at the end instead for that extra texture if they’re no issue for you!