Plant-based Creamy Pad Thai

Serves- 4 Prep Time- 30 minutes Cook Time- 20 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces (226g) box or bag of brown rice Pad Thai or stir fry noodles

1 lb (454g) broccoli crown (1 large crown will work), trimmed into florets

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips (julienned)

2 carrots, sliced into thin strips, (Julienned)

½ bunch of cilantro, chopped

6-8 basil leaves shredded

6 ounces (170g) snow or snap peas (they both work well in this recipe so get whichever is available)

Creamy Peanut Sauce

2 cloves (8g) of garlic

1”x1” (8g) piece of peeled ginger

¼ tsp (2g) of red chili paste or red chili flakes

1 tsp (2.5g) cumin seeds or 1 ¼ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp (1.6g) coriander seeds or ¼ tsp ground coriander

¼ cup (60ml) lime juice from either 2 small limes or 1 medium to large lime, juiced

½ cup (162g) creamy peanut butter

1 cup (260g) canned coconut milk

2TBSP (30ml) sesame oil

2 TBSP (30ml) Kecap Manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce) you can purchase this, or the recipe follows:

½ cup (142ml) Tamari or soy sauce, low sodium

½ cup (130g) palm sugar preferred but you can easily substitute light brown sugar

1 clove of garlic

½ “x ½” (4g) piece of peeled ginger/ sliced into 4

*Optional- 2 whole cloves

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a saucepan and then drop to medium/low and simmer uncovered for about for 8-10 minutes or until reduced by half. Will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Reserve the leftover Kecap Manis and drizzle over finished Pad Thai.

Instructions

1. For the Creamy Peanut sauce- if using the whole seeds for the cumin and coriander, toast them in a dry pan over medium heat until starting to brown and aromatic. Let cool for 5 minutes and then grind with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. Then add to the blender.

2. If using ground spices add them along with all of the Creamy Peanut Sauce ingredients to the blender. Start the blender on low for 5 seconds then moving up to high and blend until smooth.

3. For the noodles-prepare a pot of water to cook the noodles with, a 6-quart pot would work best. Have the water at a simmer so that it can boil quickly when it is time to cook the noodles. Set a large bowl over the pot of water to create a double boiler and pour the peanut sauce into the bowl to warm it up.

4. For the vegetables- steam or blanch the broccoli for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots, peas and red peppers to the steamer and steam all of them for 2-3 more minutes or until desired tenderness.

5. Once the broccoli goes into the steamer, bring the water in the noodle pot to a boil and drop in the noodles. Set aside the peanut dressing bowl. Check the instructions on the package for your noodles as the preparation may be slightly different depending upon the type of noodle or brand.

6. When the noodles are ready, strain them in a colander. Rinse with warm water and toss them in the peanut dressing. Toss in the cilantro and basil.

7. Arrange the steamed vegetables on plates and lay the dressed noodles next to them or you can toss the veggies in with the noodles and dressing and divide equally on four plates.

*Optional- garnish with lime wedges and chopped roasted peanuts.

Also, feel free to customize this recipe. Here are some ideas:

Add any type of sprouts

Substitute peanut butter and peanuts for almond butter and almonds-or any other nut or seed

Change the vegetable choice or add more

Substitute

The rice noodles for vegetable spirals

Add scallions

Serve with grilled shrimp or chicken satay

This recipe is a spin on Pad Thai. While there are many versions of this dish the most common and considered “authentic” recipes are usually prepared in a wok and feature eggs, shrimp, and fish sauce.

If there is interest in the authentic version, I do have a wok………….