I made the Pad Thai with pre-cooked chicken strips but this is just as good with tofu or fake chicken. My current chicken stand in is made by Quorn, Chik'n Tenders. They are really tasty and just need to be heated through.
Tofu!
I am a fan of tofu as it was a staple in my diet for many years. People sometimes get a little overwhelmed by cooking and underwhelmed by eating it. Let's face it, it CAN be bland and mushy but it does not have to be. Here's some rules I live by, I implore you to do the same. Note: when using tofu as a main protein in this kind of dish, firm or extra firm is the way to go. I also freeze it first. This definitely adds heft to the texture which is pretty satisfying to bite into.
1. Defrost -Leave frozen tofu in its original container and run under warm water to assist with the defrost. (try to get it pretty close to fully defrosted before you press or else you will end up with a mess).
2. Press - put the block of tofu between two towels or cheese cloth (paper towels aren't really strong enough for this step). I put it on a plate and cover with a heavy pot or pan to help press. You should make sure to press it down every couple of minutes and I usually flip it over at least once.
3. Quick press- I am often lazy and just press it between my palms between two towels over the sink, just be careful because the sides usually get a little mangled. Its ok, still tastes fine.
4. Season - I got this tip from Cissie and she makes the best fried tofu I've ever had so add it to your repertoire. Once you have pressed the tofu, it is ready to suck up any flavor you add to it. In a small sauce pan, heat enough veggie broth to cover your tofu block. I use Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bullion cubes but I also like the 365 box of broth, just make sure you like the way the broth tastes before you dunk the tofu in there. You can slice the tofu before or after this step, I just find it easier to fish the whole block out, but cutting the soaked block is a little messy.
Ok, on to the recipe!
Pad Thai
1. Get some nice rice noodles and follow the directions on the package, I like to have my noodles pretty much ready to go before I get the rest of the stuff done cause this doesnt take long to cook. Typically most rice noodles are soaked first for awhile and are sometimes boiled. They get stir fried also so dont over cook them first!
2. Add chicken, fake chicken or tofu and peanut sauce (enough to coat all your chosen protein) large frying pan. Saute for a few minutes or until protein is browned and warmed through. If you don't have peanut sauce you like, you can add a few teaspoons of oil, minced garlic and a few tablespoons of peanut butter instead. Just make sure your protein gets coated. I do this fast on high heat but if you haven't done it before, start slow at medium heat with everything in the pan together.
3. Add:
a few handfuls of shredded carrots
half a bunch of chopped green onions
one clove on minced garlic
Add a splash of pad thai sauce here but not too much
pinch of cayenne pepper
generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
I also added a very small amount of tamarind paste here. The sauce i used, from a bottle, has the tamarind paste in it but I like the taste so I add more. I like it spicy but I was making it for guests so I didn't overdo it so feel free to add more cayenne and red pepper flakes. Some people add an egg or two here but that is just fucking nasty. Eggs should be scrambled or over hard but the drippy stringy ones that are often found in traditional pad thai are ICKY.
4. If you can't find pad thai sauce you like or want to make one with out fish sauce, here's what it should have in it. TASTE IT AS YOU GO ALONG. Its easy to forget when you are focusing on technique however, the taste is really the most important thing.
canola oil
brown sugar
soy sauce
tamarind paste
you can substitute vegan worcestershire sauce for fish sauce
onion powder
smidge of tomato paste (really not a lot)
5. Add the noodles and a generous helping of pad thai sauce and cook through on pretty high heat for just enough time to warm through. I like the edges of the noodles to be browned. To manage this and make sure everything gets well combined, add the noodles and sauce in a few batches.
6. The following garnishes are totally necessary for this recipe:
Cilantro (which I forgot this time), washed and chopped
Lime Wedges
Bean sprouts- washed and whole
Crushed peanuts (blend, food process or ground in a coffee grinder). don't overdo it or you will just have peanut butter
I like A LOT of lime on mine...
I was trying to listen to the new Raw Nerve LP while doing this but I was getting a ton of phone calls and text messages about a show I was booking that night and my friends emergency surgery so I need to listen to that record again. I also let my noodles cook too long so they got mushy and broke apart but they still tasted ok at the end of the day. Presentation has never really been my strong suit...
Thankfully, everything turned out ok on all fronts!
NOW LISTENING TO: Big Black - Songs about Fucking and Way Hap, Ultimate Rarities.
Logan's Chocolate Birthday Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Raspberries
For the last two years, Logan Worell has been in Chicago on his birthday and I make him a cake! Last year was some decadent chocolate cake replete with peanut butter chips and icing if memory serves...It was made from scratch and there was nothing vegan or healthy about it.
The cake shown above was a more simple affair but it was also pretty fucking delicious, particularly with the raspberries. I know raspberries shouldnt really be in season yet but I got them any way. I tried to write LOGAN in raspberries but they were too genetically modified and huge, could only fit LOG so I started over and it made the frosting look a little wonky. Whateves...
I used Dr. Oetker's Organic Cake and Frosting Mix and followed the directions. I used real eggs, milk and butter as directed. I don't eat as many sweets as I used to so I went whole hog. Not too many tips here except to say that I lined the cake pan with wax paper which minimized the mess. I was hoping it would be a little easier to get out of the pan. I might try parchment paper instead next time with a light spray of canola oil...mmmmm
No comments:
Post a Comment