Delicious Homemade Vegetarian Pad Thai Noodles

A fan of Thai cuisine myself, the vegetarian version of the famous Pad Thai noodles was my go to order in the restaurants in Delhi, whenever I visited the place. But, if there is one thing that staying in a remote location with limited to no access to restaurants specializing in different cuisines does to you, it is that it makes you a cook in yourself! Because cravings are real and so are your instincts to try different things as an explored cook! This was my first time trying this recipe from a little idea that I got off of the internet and I can definitely vouch that this one is packed with flavor and made from simple home ingredients. This recipe will satisfy your cravings and leave you wanting more.

Ingredients:

• Flat rice noodles

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 cup of cottage cheese (paneer)/ tofu, cubed

• 1 cup of bean sprouts

• 1 capsicum, julienned (this isn't usually added in the traditional recipe but can be used for crunch)

• 1 small broccoli, separated into florets

• 5-7 baby corns, cut longitudinally

• 5-6 mushrooms, cut into slices

• 1 green onion, chopped

• 4 tbsp tamarind water

• 3 tbsp of soy sauce

• 1 tbsp of lemon juice

• 3.5 tbsp of brown sugar/ regular sugar

• 1/2 tbsp of chili flakes

• 1 tbsp of sriracha sauce

• Salt (as per taste)

• Black pepper (as per taste)

• 1/4 cup of peanuts, crushed (for garnishing)

• 1 tbsp of white sesame seeds, toasted (for garnishing)

Let's Get Cooking:

Now that we have all the ingredients ready, let's start cooking:

1. Firstly we will prepare the sauce/ dressing. For that keep the tamarind soaked in hot water for about 30 minutes on a side.

2. Purée and filter out the contents of the tamarind and water after half a hour to get the tamarind water.

3. Add the soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, chilli flakes, sriracha sauce to the tamarind water. Mix thoroughly and keep it aside.

4. As per the instructions given on the noodle packed, prepare them. Begin by soaking the rice noodles in warm water for about 10 minutes or until they become soft. Drain and set aside.

5. In a large pan or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant.

6. Add the onions and cook them for 2-3 minutes on high heat. Add in the cubed paneer/tofu to the pan and cook until it turns golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes.

7. Next, add all the cut vegetables to the pan. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are slightly tender.

8. Add the salt and the black pepper to these vegetables according to your taste palette.

9. Pour in the prepared sauce/ dressing over the mixture of vegetables and tofu in the pan.

10. Add the soaked rice noodles to the pan and toss everything together until well combined. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the noodles are heated through.

11. Remove the pan from heat and garnish with crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.

12. Serve and enjoy!

This dish pairs well with a squeeze of fresh lime juice or additional bean sprouts on the top. You can garnish it with chopped green onion stems as well. The dressing for this recipe is very mild, suited for the taste profile of all. But always feel free to improvise on your own. Whether you're a vegetarian or simply looking for a meat-free meal option, this homemade vegetarian Pad Thai noodles recipe is a winner. It's quick, easy, and bursting with authentic Thai flavors. My first reaction on eating it was that now I won’t order the same dish from outside when I now I can made an almost similar, even better version at my home and that too with quality ingredients of my choice!

Give it a try and enjoy a taste of Thailand right in your own home!