Vegan Pad Thai Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 7-8 ounces rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 container baked tofu or firm tofu
- 4 green onions, cut into 2-inch strips
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
Preparation
If you have chosen to make your own tamarind paste, remove the shells from 6 tamarind pods, place them in a bowl with 1 cup of hot water, let sit for 5 minutes, then mash and mix with a fork until it becomes a lumpy sauce, smoothing it out as much as possible.
In a medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons of tamarind sauce, ensuring no seeds or lumps if homemade, or use store-bought tamarind paste, then add cane sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, Sriracha, and minced garlic; whisk together until smooth and set aside.
Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions, typically soaking in hot water for 6-8 minutes until al dente, as they will cook further in the pan.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
Add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides.
Add the green onions and bean sprouts, and sauté until slightly softened.
Add the prepared noodles and sauce to the pan, and stir-fry until everything is well combined and heated through.
Serve topped with the chopped peanuts.
Notes
Tamarind paste can be difficult to find, so making your own is easy and recommended.
Do not skip the tamarind paste as it is the primary flavor in Pad Thai.
Tamarind pods can be found in Asian grocery stores or sometimes in regular stores.
For rice noodles, look for 'rice sticks' or 'pho noodles' in Asian markets, or 'Pad Thai noodles' in regular grocery stores.
