Perfectly Good Pad Thai
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Makes: 4 serves
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 tbsps of seasoning sauce
- 1 tbsp of tamarind concentrate
- 1 tbsp of fresh lime juice
- 2 tsps of finely chopped palm sugar
- 250g rice stick noodles
- 60ml (1/4 cup) of peanut oil
- 300g of firm tofu, drained, cut into 2cm cubes or 300g of chicken, cut into strips
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled, halved lengthways, thinly sliced diagonally
- 1 red capsicum, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced lengthways
- 2 eggs, lightly whisked
- 100g bean sprouts
- 1/4 Chinese cabbage, shredded
- 2/3 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
- 2 tbsps crushed unsalted peanuts
- Lime wedges, to serve
If you're looking for a hearty meal to make this Winter then look no further than this incredibly yummy, extremely easy Pad Thai recipe!
Big on taste, this dish is nutritionally balanced so the kids are forced to eat their veggies (you're welcome) and can be on the table within 30 minutes! With an option to either make it meat-free or full of chicken, this dish will not only light up your little ones' eyes but also fill up their stomachs!
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Method
1. Combine the seasoning sauce, tamarind, lime juice, and sugar in a jug and set this aside. Place the noodles into a large, heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover the noodles entirely. Set them aside for 5 minutes to soften before stirring them with a fork to separate. Once this is done, drain them and set them aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a wok over medium-high heat until it's slightly smoking (be careful of your smoke alarm cheering you on!) Add half of the chicken/tofu and stir-fry it until it's nicely golden brown. For tofu, this may take 2 minutes and for chicken, this may take 5 minutes.
3. Once they've finished cooking, transfer your main ingredient to a plate lined with paper towel and reheat the wok to repeat the cooking process with the remaining tofu/chicken.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the work over medium heat until, again, it's slightly smoking, and add the shallots and garlic together, stir-frying it for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots soften. Add the carrot and capsicum next, stir-frying the vegetables for 2-3 minutes or until the carrot is tender. Then, make a well in the centre of the vegetables. Now comes the fun part!
5. Pour the egg into the well and stir-fry it until it's partially cooked. Add the noodles and stir the mixture until everything is combined.
6. Add the reserved lime juice mixture, tofu/chicken, bean sprouts, cabbage and coriander, and stir-fry until everything's combined.
7. Divide the Pad Thai among serving bowls and sprinkle with peanuts for a little extra crunch. Serve your meal immediately with lime wedges for some zest! Enjoy!