Tofu Pad Thai
I have loved pad Thai ever since high school when my friends and I found this great Thai restaurant that we went to every chance we got. I have found that making it at home is a more than satisfactory substitute (and, of course, way cheaper). I like to make it spicier and add a little soy sauce, so start out with the recipe here, and then add your own personal touch—that’s what cooking is all about anyway! You’ll see that the recipe calls for vegetarian fish sauce, which may seem like a funny concept, but you can find it online or at some Asian markets (where you can also pick up the rice noodles).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Drain the tofu and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the pieces between several paper towels, top with a heavy pan, and let stand for 15 minutes to press out any excess water.
Step 2
Peel and finely chop the garlic or pass it through a garlic press. Trim the green onions, discarding the ends, and cut the white and about 1 inch of the green part into thin slices.
Step 3
Combine the fish sauce, water, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and crushed red pepper in a bowl, stir well, and set aside.
Step 4
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the rice noodles. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a colander.
Step 5
Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the eggs and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the eggs are completely cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the noodles, garlic, and fish sauce mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, tofu, bean sprouts, green onion, and cilantro and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until warm. Place in a large serving bowl and top with the chopped peanuts.
food trivia
Step 6
Various versions of pad Thai have been around for centuries, but it really gained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s. The prime minister at that time thought that if he could get the people to eat more rice noodles they would have more rice to export. That began the trend, but it got another boost when the government heavily promoted producing noodles and running noodle shops as a way to revive the Thai economy following World War II.
