Thai food is delicious. There is sweet harmony in the combination of tamarind, scallions and ginger. Many Thai dishes are chock full of vegetables, making the cuisine a playground for vegetarians and vegans. But among those veggies, there is most often both egg and fish sauce lurking.
By no means should you stop visiting Wagamama or SEA, but sometimes it’s nice to make dinner at home so you don’t have to barrage your waiter with questions and demands.
Tofu Pad Thai, no egg please, is one of my favorite dishes at SEA. While my version doesn't hold a candle to theirs, mine is still yummy and satisfying. Especially since I finally figured out the key to SEA's silky tofu texture.
There was a dark period in my life when I didn’t press my tofu. The sky was perpetually gray, birds didn’t sing, flowers didn’t bloom. It was sad times. You don't want to live like that do you? So press your tofu! It makes such a difference and you finally get to reuse your Gardner’s Art Throughout the Ages Volumes I and II from your, so far useless, art history degree. Just place a block of tofu on a plate, cover with another plate and lay one or two heavy books on top. Leave it for about an hour, pour off the water that has accumulated and voila! Amazingly textured tofu that’s easy to slice and cook!
I recommend you use a wok with this recipe. One, because it makes sautéing easier and two, because it's fun. Just be careful. I wear oven mitts up to my elbows because I'm klutzy and scared of sizzling myself.
Ingredients
Serves Four
Marinade
4 tablespoons hot water
2 teaspoons tamarind
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoon agave nectar or sugar
2.5 cm grated ginger root
14 ounces/400 grams pressed firm tofu, cut into one inch cubes
Noodle Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup sliced shitaki mushrooms
1 carrot, cut into 7.5 cm long, 1 cm wide thin strips
3 scallions/spring onions sliced into 2 cm discs
1 box udon, soba or linguine noodles, cooked al dente
2 tablespoons peanut butter, whisked with the remaining marinade
Directions
Whisk together marinade ingredients. Pour over cubed, pressed tofu and let sit for fifteen to thirty minutes. While that’s marinating, chop the rest of the ingredients and cook pasta, following the box’s directions. Be sure to save the remaining marinade!
In wok or large sauce pan, heat oils. Add mushrooms and move them around quickly with chopsticks or wooden spoon as they sauté for three minutes. Add cubed tofu and sauté three more minutes, constantly stirring so nothing sticks. Watch your appendages, as oil will spatter due to the moisture in the tofu. Add carrots and sauté for one more minute.
Add cooked pasta and toss carefully so all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Whisk peanut butter into the remaining marinade until smooth. Pour over pasta and vegetables mixing everything together as best you can. Add scallions.
Taste and amend if need be. If you like more spice add a few teaspoons chili sauce or dashes of black pepper. Garnish with crushed peanuts, lime wedges and sesame seeds and enjoy!