Monday, March 10, 2008

Pad Thai (Sort Of) For One

I really felt like Pad Thai for lunch today, so I had to find a way to make it work with what I had on hand. Yam noodles may sound like a pretty obscure ingredient, but they're widely available in Asian markets, and worth looking for. They're fat free, super high in fiber, yummy, and only require heating before serving. They come in these cute little bundles (fourteen per package, to be exact).
Just drain them (they come packaged in liquid), untie those cute little bundles, give them a good rinse, dry them well (I wrap them up in an impeccably clean dishcloth, and let them hang out a bit to accomplish this), and they are ready to be used however you want. Tangent on yam noodles over. (I promise!)

This is the formula I used to make the mock Pad Thai. It came out quite good, just a bit salty, so I recommend replacing half of the Soy Sauce with water. Here's the recipe:

Pad Thai (Sort Of) For One
1/2 package yam noodles (7 bundles), rinsed and dried.
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. peanut butter (I used Reduced Fat Skippy Creamy, but feel free to substitute.)
1 scallion, chopped.
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cabbage, cooked (I had some sauteed Savoy leftover, so I used that.)
3 oz. (about 1/4-1/3 cup) firm tofu (I had BBQ tofu leftover, so I used that.)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped toasted almonds

  • Heat a pan to very high heat, and coat with a bit of olive oil (I use a mister). Add the egg, and swirl the pan around quickly to make a thin omelet. Cook for only a few seconds on each side, so the egg doesn't get tough. Remove from pan, roll up, and slice into thin strips. Put on the side.
  • Microwave the peanut butter for a few second to soften.
  • Whisk together peanut butter, fish sauce, soy sauce, water, and sugar. Add scallion to this mixture and put on the side.
  • In a lightly oiled, screaming hot pan, heat the noodles, cabbage, and tofu until warmed through. this should take no longer than two minutes.
  • Add the sauce, allowing to come to a simmer and stir until combined well.
  • Add the egg and almond, and serve. (Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice if you like.)
  • Enjoy!


No comments: