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Tofu Pad Thai with Vegetables

A lighter homemade pad thai with crisp golden tofu, egg, beansprouts and carrot in a tangy tamarind and lime sauce, finished with peanuts and coriander. Vegetarian, 32g of protein a plate, and on the table in 35 minutes.

Dinner

35

Serves 2

A plate of pad thai rice noodles with golden tofu, egg, beansprouts, carrot and spring onions, topped with peanuts, coriander and lime

Ingredients

  • For the sauce
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) reduced-salt tamari (labelled gluten-free), or reduced-salt soy sauce (not gluten-free)
  • 1 tbsp (15g) tamarind paste (or an extra tbsp of lime juice)
  • 2 tsp (8g) light brown sugar
  • 1 to 2 limes: 1 tbsp (15ml) juice (2 tbsp if not using tamarind), the rest cut into wedges to serve
  • Chilli flakes, to taste, optional
  • For the noodles
  • 100g/3½oz flat rice noodles (about ¼ inch wide; a lighter portion, use 150g for bigger appetites; check gluten-free if needed)
  • 200g/7oz extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) neutral oil, such as rapeseed (canola) or groundnut (peanut) oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (about 8g), finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot (about 80g/3oz), cut into thin matchsticks
  • 2 medium eggs (US large), beaten
  • 100g/3½oz beansprouts
  • 2 spring onions (scallions, about 30g/1oz), cut into 3cm/1in lengths
  • To serve
  • 20g/¾oz/2 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 10g/a loosely packed ½ cup fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Method

  1. Soak or cook the noodles according to the packet, usually 8 to 10 minutes in just-boiled water, until soft but still slightly firm. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain well so they do not stick together.
  2. Meanwhile, wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel (dish towel) or kitchen paper (paper towels) and press gently to remove excess water. Mix the tamari, tamarind, sugar and lime juice in a cup until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large wok or non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the tofu for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp on most sides. Tip onto a plate.
  4. Add the remaining oil, the garlic and carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute. Push everything to one side, pour the eggs into the empty space and stir gently until just set, about 1 minute.
  5. Add the noodles, tofu and sauce and toss over the heat for 2 minutes, until the noodles have absorbed the sauce. Add the beansprouts and spring onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes more, until the beansprouts are steaming hot throughout; food safety agencies advise cooking beansprouts until steaming hot unless the pack says they are ready to eat.
  6. Divide between 2 plates and top with the peanuts, coriander and chilli flakes, if using. Serve with lime wedges. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat until piping hot.

Why it works

A plate has about 32g of protein and 620 calories, from the tofu, eggs and peanuts. Takeaway (takeout) pad thai is often much larger, cooked in more oil and higher in sugar; making it at home lets you control all three.

Getting the tofu crisp. Extra-firm tofu works best. Pressing out the water and frying it in a hot pan before anything else gives golden edges that hold up when the sauce goes in. Tofu is a complete plant protein and, when set with calcium sulphate, a useful source of calcium; check the label.

The sauce. Real pad thai gets its tang from tamarind, a sour fruit paste sold in jars in most supermarkets and Asian grocers. Fish sauce is traditional, but this version uses tamari to keep it vegetarian. Just 2 tsp of sugar between two people balances the sourness.

Beansprouts. Raw beansprouts have been linked to food poisoning outbreaks, so food safety agencies advise cooking them until steaming hot unless the pack says they are ready to eat. Here they go in at the end and are tossed over the heat until hot.

Not tagged for blood sugar, because the rice noodles bring about 60g of carbohydrate; add more vegetables and fewer noodles if that matters to you. Contains peanuts, soy and egg; leave out the eggs and add extra tofu for a vegan version. For another tofu dinner, try the crispy sesame tofu with broccoli, or for noodles with chicken, the Vietnamese chicken noodle salad.