Crispy Tofu Pad Thai

Easy to make, delicious to enjoy, and packed with phytonutrients, this dish is a great one to add to your repertoire:

You will need

• 10 oz ready-to-wok rice noodles, or 6 oz dry
• 5 oz silken tofu
• 5 oz firm or extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
• 1 oz arrowroot (or cornstarch if you don’t have arrowroot)
• 4 scallions, sliced
• ¼ bulb garlic, finely chopped
• 1″ piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1 red chili, chopped (multiply per your heat preferences)
• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 4 oz bok choi, thinly sliced
• 4 oz mung bean sprouts
• 1 tbsp tamari (or other, but tamari is traditional) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• Juice of ½ lime
• ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
• Avocado oil, or your preferred oil for stir-frying
• To serve: lime wedges
• Optional garnish: crushed roasted peanuts (if allergic, substitute sesame seeds; peanuts are simply traditional, that’s all)

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Scramble the silken tofu. For guidance and also additional seasoning pointers, see our Tasty Tofu Scramble recipe, but omit the thyme.

2) Cook the noodles if necessary (i.e. if they are the dry type and need boiling, as opposed to “ready-to-wok” noodles that don’t), drain, and set aside.

4) Prepare the tofu cubes: if the tofu cubes are dry to the touch, toss them gently in a little oil to coat. If they’re wet to the touch, no need. Dust the tofu cubes with the arrowroot and MSG/salt; you can do this in a bowl, tossing gently to distribute the coating evenly.

4) Heat some oil in a wok over a high heat, and fry the tofu on each side until golden and crispy all over, and set aside.

5) Stir-fry the scallions, garlic, ginger, chili, and bell pepper for about 2 minutes.

6) Add the bean sprouts and bok choi, and keep stir-frying for another 2 minutes.

7) Add everything that’s not already in the pan except the lime wedges and peanuts (i.e., add the things you set aside, plus the remaining as-yet-untouched ingredients) and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.

8) Serve hot, garnished with the crushed peanuts if using, and with the lime wedges on the side:

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Sprout Your Seeds, Grains, Beans, Etc
• Which Bell Peppers To Pick? A Spectrum Of Specialties
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits?

Take care!