Vegetarian Pad Thai

I love pad thai. It is simple, hearty Thai-style noodle dish that is great anytime, anywhere. Pad thai gets its unique sour flavor from tamarind, a native African tree fruit that has long been used in a wide variety of Indian, African, Asian, & Mexican dishes. I found an easy-to-use tamarind paste at the Viet Hoa Market on Cleveland in Memphis, TN, but it is available in a variety of forms. This is my version that omits the shrimp and the fish sauce that is traditionally found in this dish. The ingredient list seems long, but it is a very simple dish to make once you collect everything.

3 cups cooked wide rice noodles

1 cup bean sprouts

1 block firm tofu (pan fried and cut into strips)

1 cup carrots (cut into 1 inch matchsticks)

2 eggs

1 bunch spring onions (chopped)

1/2 cup cilantro chopped

1/2 cup of roasted & salted peanuts

1 shallot (minced)

1 lime (quatered)

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon sriracha 

2 tablespoons of Braggs (or soy sauce)

2 tablespoons of sesame oil

2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

Cook shallot until translucent in a bit of sesame oil, and then add cooked noodles and sprouts. Turn the pan up to high. You will need to have everything ready at this point because it starts to move very quickly. Push the noodles aside, crack the eggs into the bottom of the pan, and allow the eggs to set. Mix the eggs with the noodles. Add the sauce, carrots, tofu, & spring onion. Flip the pan to mix ingredients. If your noodles look dry at this point, add a bit of the water you cooked the noodles in to loosen the mixture. Once everything is warmed through, transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the peanuts, cilantro, and the limes.