Crispy Tofu Pad Thai

I have been searching for the perfect recipe for pad thai my entire cooking life, and have finally found it. This is an adapted version of the Americas Test Kitchen recipe. It is vegetarian, all except for the fish sauce.

Save
Crispy Tofu Pad Thai Save
Crispy Tofu Pad Thai
thai

I have been searching for the perfect recipe for pad thai my entire cooking life, and have finally found it. This is an adapted version of the Americas Test Kitchen recipe. It is vegetarian, all except for the fish sauce.

  • Preparing Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Served Person: 8
white meat free tree nut free contains gluten red meat free contains fish shellfish free contains pasta dairy free pescatarian
main dish

Step-by-step

  • Lay several paper towels down on a plate. Cut tofu in half lengthwise, and lay half down on the towels, add more paper towels, put down the other half of the tofu. Top with more paper towels and a slightly heavy plate. Let sit for 10 minutes, flip, then let sit for 8 minutes or as long as needed for tofu to be just moist.
  • Meanwhile, combine the tamarind paste with 1-1/2 cups boiling water in a small bowl, and let sit until paste is soft and mushy, 15-30 minutes. While the tamarind is sitting, prepare the scallions, shallots, peanuts, garlic, and wash the bean sprouts and cilantro, and pick out the stems. Then mash the tamarind to break it up and strain it into another larger bowl. Add the other sauce ingredients, and set aside.
  • Bring water to boil in a large pot. Remove from heat, add rice noodles, and let sit, stirring occasionally until noodles are almost tender; about ten minutes. Drain noodles and set aside. While noodles are sitting in water, before draining, cut tofu into 3/4 inch cubes and toss with cornstarch in a large bowl.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add tofu and stir fry until light golden brown. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with a plate to keep warm. Add the rest of the oil to the skillet and heat on medium high until shimmering. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring constantly until light golden brown, about a minute and a half. Add the noodles and toss to combine. Add the sauce, turn the heat up to high, and toss noodles until coated.
  • Add the tofu, bean sprouts, 1/4 cup peanuts, and all but a 1/4 cup of the scallions, and continue to cook until noodles are tender, about 2-1/2 minutes. (if not yet tender, add 2 tablespoons water and cook until tender) Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the remaining peanuts and scallions, and serve with lime wedges.
Swapping tamarind paste for lime juice or rice vinegar alters the fundamental sour backbone of the dish, removing the distinct fruitiness that balances the fish sauce and sugar. Preparing this noodle dish requires careful attention to moisture management, starting with the bean curd. Pressing the block between layers of paper towels under a heavy plate for at least eighteen total minutes extracts excess water so the cubes can actually brown rather than steam. When hydrating the dried rice stick noodles, boiling water should be removed from the heat source before the pasta goes in, preventing the exterior from turning gummy before the center softens. Achieving proper textural contrast relies entirely on coating the cubed bean curd in a thin layer of cornstarch before it hits the hot nonstick skillet. During the final toss, high heat ensures the liquid reduces quickly enough to coat the strands without oversoftening the fresh mung bean sprouts.
Waffles?
Brie and Parmesan Polenta?
Pancakes?
Venison Gumbo?
Privacy policy