This Pad Thai has all of the deep garlicky and fishy umami flavours we know and love but with fewer rice noodles, more quality protein, and more veg!
Serves 1 (Double everything up for 2)
This dish is all go-go-go in the wok/frying pan so it's advisable to get everything chopped and ready to go in quick time.
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
-1tbs coconut oil
-1 tsp Fish sauce (strong and salty so go easy, if you get casual with your amounts you may ruin the whole dish)
-1tbs Tamarind paste (available in most supermarkets, check if it's gluten-free, I used Waitrose own, or you could source tamarind concentrate from an oriental shop and dilute it)
-1 plump garlic clove or 2 skinny ones - minced
-About 20 chopped peanuts (or you could use a nut of choice such as macadamia or cashew)
-1 tsp of coconut sugar (or palm sugar ideally)
-Juice of 1 lime
For the noodles:
-1 Tbs Coconut oil
-Half the amount of the standard portion of dried rice noodles (I like to go for the 5mm thickness noodles- it works out at about 15-20 dried noodles per person)
-4 or 5 spring onions (including the green bits)
-100g finely shredded white cabbage (a good manageable wedge of a whole white cabbage)
-1 medium carrot - julienned (grated makes them mushy), I used a mandolin to get matchsticks
-Any more veg of choice, I like to use matchstick chopped radishes, beansprouts, matchstick, or a spiralised small courgette
-A fistful of fresh coriander (save some back for garnish)
-A fistful of Thai basil leaves (optional) (traditional basil will not work in my humble opinion)
-1 small chicken breast finely sliced
-6 or 7 raw king prawns shelled and deveined
-1 large egg beaten
For Garnish (Crucial in my opinion)!
A few chopped peanuts
Some of the coriander you kept back
Chilli flakes
2 lime wedges
Instructions:
1. Boil the kettle and soak your noodles in a large dish whilst prepping the rest
2. Defrost your prawns in a bowl of water if frozen - shell and devein if necessary once defrosted
3. Make your sauce! In a small saucepan, add the coconut oil and heat up on a medium-high heat, add the minced garlic for a few seconds to sizzle, then add all the other sauce ingredients- stirring all the time to prevent burnt garlic. Once it smells irresistible and just like pad Thai, set aside, it should only take a couple of minutes
4.. Beat your egg in a small bowl, set aside
5. Chop/shred all of your veg
6. In a small frying pan cook your egg separately in a little oil until almost cooked but still a little runny
7. In a frying pan cook your prawns and chicken until almost cooked but not quite, add the prawns halfway through cooking the chicken as they take only a couple of minutes and overcooked prawns are gross! Set aside on a plate. (I reuse the same pan with the meaty prawn juices for the Pad Thai without washing)
8. Check your noodles, they should be al dente as they will cook more in the wok, we don't want them too soft as you will end up with a Pad Thai mush! If they're ready drain them and wash them with cold water to stop the cooking process, set aside
9. Heat the wok on high heat and add the coconut oil
10. Add all of your veg except the coriander and Thai basil and fry 2-3 mins
11. Add your chicken prawns- stir
12. Add your noodles and stir
13. Add your egg - aim to get the egg well broken up and sticking to the noodles
14. Add your Pad Thai sauce and mix to get everything coated
15. Add your fresh herbs and stir through (they will wilt, that's ok)
15. Serve your gluten-free Pad Thai immediately and garnish with a little more coriander, chopped peanuts, red chili flakes, and 2 lime wedges- enjoy!
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