Thai Flavored Noodles with Vegetables
This is neither quick nor particularly easy for an inexperienced cook, but quite delicious. Be sure all ingredients are chopped and ready before starting to cook!
1/2 cup of Pad Thai Sauce*
3-4 T. Chili Sauce --- this is just heize chili sauce, found near the ketchup on the
grocer's shelf
1 T soy sauce
1 teaspoon Thai Seasoning**
Mix these first four ingredients together and set aside
1-1/2 T basil flavored olive oil
2/3 cup sliced Tofu or Tempeh
1/2 cup peanuts or cashews
The juice of one lime
Herbs: 1/2 cup or more of several fresh herbs which may include Basil, Thai Basil, Mint, and/or Cilantro
Vegetables: 3-4 cups of any combination of fresh vegetables which may include onions, mushrooms, green beans, peppers, squash, snow peas, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower...I usually include onions, mushrooms and pepper and whatever else is on hand. Fresh green beans are great in this dish in season.
Noodles: Regular spaghetti works great. Cook it for only 6 minutes, then drain and toss with basil oil. I cook about 3 servings worth as measured by one of those spaghetti measurer with different sized holes for various serving sizes.
Have all your vegetables cut into bite sized pieces. Broccoli or cualiflower should be broken into florets. Green beans, if used, should be blanched (boiled) for 4-6 minutes depending on size. They should still be crisp. Broccoli and cauliflower should also be blanched for about 3-4 minutes.
Boil water for spaghetti. If you need to blanch any vegetables, do this before cooking the spaghetti, in the same pot of hot water. Blanch for the recommended time, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon to drain and set aside. Cook spaghetti only until very al dente, then drain it, return it to the pan in which it cooked and toss with basil oil. Toss in the sauce mixture and the peanuts.
Set large frying pan on medium high heat and add 1-2 T of oil to the pan, and begin to stir fry the veggies. Begin with the onion and mushrooms, stir fry briefly and add to the noodles. It is OK if the vegetables carmelize (brown) a little. Cook each vegetable and stri into the noodles until all are done.
Stir fry the tempeh or tofu in a little oil and add it to the noodle mixture. The tempeh should be golden brown.
Retrun all ingredients to the hot frying pan and allow to heat up. It is OK if the noodles brown a little. When everything seems nice and hot, add the lime juice and stir in throughly. Add the herbs and toss and serve immediately.
Serve garnished with extra lime slices and a little chopped cilantro
* Pad Thai sauce is a prepared sauce that comes in a small jar, and my favorite kind is by Thai Kitchen. I find it in the well stocked Kroger grocery stores with the Asian foods.
**Thai Seasoning is a spice mixture. If you cannot find it use this mixture: 1 T sesame seeds, 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 t. garlic powder, 1/2 t. ground coriander