Pad Thai (Week 7, Thailand)

Written by Published on in Global Vegan Challenge, Main Course

This recipe is a part of my Global Vegan Challenge where each week I research and develop a recipe from a different country in the world. Many of these recipes are veganized based off their omnivore counterparts. While not all of these recipes are a one for one what you’ll find in their country, I hope you’ll still find them delicious!

Recipe Notes:

  • I tend to like a more savory pad thai so this recipe skews that way. If you prefer yours to be more sweet or tangy, taste test the sauce as it reduces and add more sugar for sweetness or tamarind for tang until you achieve the desired flavor. Make sure the flavors you want to shine through taste a bit stronger in the sauce as it will tone down when mixed in with the noodles.

  • I added yuba (tofu skins) to this recipe because I wanted a little extra protein and texture. You can often find this in Chinatown fresh or dried. If yuba is not available in your area or you want a more authentic pad thai you can omit. In lieu of this you can add another 8 ounces of tofu. Just cube and pan fry when you’re sauteing your other vegetables.

  • My local store had run out of mung bean sprouts so you will not find them in the recipe below. Instead I used bok choy stems to make up for that crunch. If you decide to use bok choy do not use baby bok choy, you need the full size for the stems. However, if you can find mung beans I’d suggest you use add about a cup in lieu of the bok choy.

  • Thai chiles range from 50,000 – 100,000 scoville units. For a less spicy pad thai, remove seeds or opt for a jalapeno instead (2,500 – 8,000 scoville units).

  • The below recipe is broken into two parts for easier reading. One for the fishless sauce (a key ingredient in any pad thai), and another for the pad thai itself. If you already have a fishless sauce recipe you enjoy or a store bought fishless sauce feel welcome to use that instead.

Vegan Pad Thai

Yield

2 – 4 Servings

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cooking Time

30 Minutes

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Fishless Sauce Ingredients

  • 3 cups Water
  • 1/3 cup Dried Wakame
  • 1/4 cup Dark Soy Sauce
  • 1 ounce Dried Shiitake
  • 1 large piece Dried Kombu
  • 1 tablespoon Yellow Miso
  • 2 – 4 cloves Garlic
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Fishless Sauce Instructions

  • Remove peels from garlic cloves and crush or press into a small pot.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to pot an simmer on low until reduced by about half. (While reducing begin preparing pad thai recipe below if not making fishless sauce in advance.)
  • Remove from heat and strain through a wire mesh strainer. Compost or discard solids.
  • Set aside until ready for use. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
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Pad Thai Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Sprouted or Extra Firm Tofu
  • 8 ounces Dried Rice Noodles
  • 2 Large Stems of Bok Choy (not baby bok choy)
  • 4 Green Onions
  • 1/2 Red Bell Pepper
  • 1/2 cup Fishless Sauce (above)
  • 1/3 cup Unsalted Roasted Peanuts
  • 1/2 cup Julienned Carrots
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
  • 2.5 ounces Yuba (optional, see notes above) 
  • 5 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Fresh Thai Chiles (optional, see notes above)
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 2 teaspoons Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kala Namak Black Salt (optional for egg flavor, may use table salt here)
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Pad Thai Instructions

  • Prepare tofu “egg”. Heat up a small sauce pan on medium heat. Once to temperature add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and coat pan. Crumble in tofu with your hands into bite sized pieces and brown.
  • Add turmeric and kala namak salt and toss to coat. Once fully coated remove from heat and set aside.
  • Prepare produce. Remove leaves from bok choy and cut each stem in half. Cut stems length wise into 1/8 inch strips. Set aside.
  • Seed bell pepper and slice into 1/8 inch strips length wise. Set aside.
  • If carrots are not pre-julienned, julienne until you have 1/2 cup prepared. Set aside.
  • Remove roots from green onions and slice into 2 inch strips. Set aside.
  • Mince garlic cloves ans set aside.
  • Unfold yuba and cut into thin noodles. Set aside.
  • Half and thinly slice thai chile. Remember thai chiles are very hot. For a less hot pad thai remove seeds prior to slicing. Set aside.
  • Once all produce is prepared fill a large pot with water place on stove on high to bring to a boil.
  • Prepare sauce. Add fishless sauce, 1/4 cup water, tamarind, rice vinegar, and sugar to a small pot. Bring to a low simmer. Add a small amount of thai chile. Taste test and adjust fishless sauce, tamarind, sugar to taste. Continue to add small amounts chile until desired heat level is reached. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Once water is boiling remove from heat and add rice noodles. Let set for 8 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Remove from water and rinse under cold water in a colander. Set aside.
  • Set a large sauce pan (or wok if you have one) over medium heat. Once to temperature add remaining vegetable oil and coat. Add bok choy, bell pepper, onion, carrot, garlic, and salt to pan. Saute for 5 – 8 minutes.
  • Prepare garnish. Mince cilantro until you have 1/4 cup. If peanuts are not pre-crushed, mince until you have 1/3 cup. Set aside.
  • Once vegetables are ready turn up heat to medium high and add rice noodles, yuba, and sauce to sauce pan. Toss to coat and allow sauce to absorb into noodles.
  • Once absorbed add tofu egg and garnish, but save some garnish for serving. Toss until fully mixed and tofu egg is hot. Taste test for salt, and add extra salt if needed.
  • Slice lime into wedges, and serve alongside pad thai. Enjoy hot.

As always, quick video clip from end of stream. Watch us cook our challenge foods live on Twitch Sundays at 10a pacific.

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