Thug Kitchen - Vegetable Pad Thai with Dry Fried Tofu
Often we come across a cookbook that is just okay, and we are left making the same 3 recipes from said book. HOWEVER, there are time where we come across a cookbook that is amazing and we wind up using it so much that it falls apart. Cue this beauty...
I'm pretty sure every recipe I've made from this book has been a hit at meal time. Not to mention, it is a great read. It has some colorful language throughout and it makes for a good time while in the kitchen.
Tonight for dinner I made the Vegetable Pad Thai with Dry Fried Tofu. Let me tell you. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!
Earlier in the day, I made a marinade and let the tofu soak up the goodness for a few hours. I created my own marinade for this specific dish, however you can find anything you need online. After it was done, I started to fry it up. Then, the main event: THE VEGETABLES. Let me tell you, this meal was to die for.
For those interested, here is the recipe:
SAUCE
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbs water
- 3 tbs brown sugar
- 3 tbs rice vinegar
NOODLES
- 14 oz. rice noodles
- 1 medium crown a broccoli
- 1/3 cup sliced shallots
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp neutral-tasting oil
TOPPINGS
- 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage (red, green, doesn't matter)
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- Chopped peanuts
- Lime wedges
TOFU
- 1 block of extra-firm tofu, pressed for at least 30 minutes.
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix together all the stuff for the sauce in a medium glass
- Cook your noodles according to the package directions. Rinse with cold water. Chop up the broccoli into pieces no bigger than a quarter and get all the rest of your veggies and herbs ready.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a big skillet or wok. When the pan is hot, add the shallots and stir-fry until they start to char around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 30 seconds. Gently add the noodles and 1/3 cup of the sauce and toss to make sure everything is covered. Keep stirring and fold in tofu. Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute to make sure the sauce is absorbed. Keep adding sauce until it is exactly how you like it. Turn off heat and fold in the green onions and cilantro.
- Serve this right away piled high on a plate next to the cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and topped with the peanuts. Squeeze lime wedges over before you dig in.
Dry-Fried Tofu
- Cut the tofu vertically into planks about ¼ inch thick and then cut those planks in half lengthwise. You should end up with around 20 pieces.
- Preheat a large wok or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the tofu in a single layer. You may have to do this in 2 batches. You will want the tofu to sizzle once it hits the pan, if it doesn’t you need to turn up the heat.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of salt over the tofu and start gently pressing down on the tofu with your spatula. You will hear steam escaping. After 3-4 minutes, the bottoms should be golden brown.
- Flip over and repeat.
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