Crispy Tofu Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce

At the beginning of the year I attempted my first Pad Thai with some left over shredded turkey. I wasn't really to happy with the way it came out (the noodle to sauce ratio was way off), so I was excited to get the chance to redeem myself and try this veggie version. This was also my first time cooking anything with tofu in it, ambitious I know.


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups of noodles prepared (we used rice noodles, you can use wheat linguine or fettuccine, ramen, whatever you choose)
• 1 package of firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bag of broccoli slaw 
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2 cup of sliced green onions
• 2 beaten eggs
• 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• crushed peanuts (for garnish)
• Fresh cilantro (for garnish)

About an hour before you are going to start cooking you want to prepare the tofu. This involves getting all of the excess water out of it. Wrap the block of tofu in some paper towels, and place on a cutting board. Place a heavy object (I used my cast iron skillet) on top of the tofu and let it sit for about an hour to get all the water out. I actually changed the paper towels 1/2 way through because they were soaked, but that is up to you.

Once your tofu is done cut into medium sized cubes, then place 1/2 of the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil is really hot then throw in the tofu and turn heat down to medium high. Cook your tofu for about 10 minutes, until crispy and golden brown on all sides.

While the tofu is cooking, whisk together the ginger, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, mirin, fish sauce, soy sauce and water. Set the sauce aside.

When the tofu is nice and crispy, remove from the pan and place on a plate with a paper towel to drain excess oil. Sprinkle tofu with a little salt.

While the pan is still hot, add in the broccoli slaw and garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until it becomes fragrant. 

Move the veggies to one side of the pan and add 1/2 of the green onions to it, and add the beaten eggs to the other side of the pan. Allow the eggs to slightly cook then mix the egg and veggies together and continue to cook until the eggs are cooked through.

Stir in the sauce and cook for a minute or 2 until it starts to thicken a bit. Then stir in your prepared noodles. Combine well.

Serve with the remainder of the green onions, crushed peanuts and cilantro. We also drizzled a little sriracha on top of ours. 

Ollie digging in

I actually enjoyed making and eating this dish. Especially the crispy tofu, surprisingly. The tofu actually reminded me of cheese curds kind of, which I love. The kids really loved this meal too. Ollie was a huge fan. My job is done. Cheers!

Adapted from: Spicy Peanut and Tofu Pad Thai