Vegetarian Pad Thai

Thai cuisine is adaptable, innovative and dynamic. The  unique Thai taste can be defined as the use of all 5 flavors: spicy, sweet, salty, bitter and sour.

Pad Thai is probably the most popular noodle dish on Thai restaurant menus. In Thailand, each street vendor sells a unique version of this wonderfully aromatic dish.Most of these ingredients should be available at a respectable Asian food market. Try it - You will love it.

Ingredients

Pad Thai  wide Rice  Sticks              1 packet

Stir Fry  vegetables                         1 cup

Rice Noodles

Shallow Fried  Tofu                           1 cup

Fresh red or green chilies                  1-2 finely sliced

Grated galangal OR ginger                 1 tsp.

Fresh lime juice                                 1 Tbsp. 

chopped dry-roasted peanuts            2 Tbs.

Peanut Oil                                        1 Tbsp.

Chopped Fresh Basil leaves               few

Salt                                                  to taste.

PAD THAI SAUCE:

Sambal chili Sauce

Rice Vinegar                                   2 Tbsp.

Brown sugar/Palm sugar                  4 Tbsp.

Dark Soy Sauce                               1 Tbsp.

Tamarind paste                                ½ Tsp.

Red Chili flakes                                1 Tsp.

Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Sauce      1to 2 Tbsp

Peanut  Butter                                 1 Tbsp.

Method:

• Warm a pot of water on the stove until just before boiling. Remove from heat and immerse rice noodles. Allow to sit until they are limp and white, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the noodles and keep it in the refrigerator.
• Combine 'Pad Thai Sauce' ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve sugar. Set aside.
• Shallow fry  or deep fry ,the tofu pieces in oil and keep aside.
• Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add grated galangal or ginger  and green chilies and stir fry for a minute .
• Now add the fresh stir fry Chinese vegetables  and fry for a minute.
• Now add  lime juice ,fried tofu and  Pad Thai Sauce and  fry for few minutes. When vegetables are half cooked add the noodle. Mix well together to combine the flavors. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, Remove from heat .
• Serve with limes, chopped peanuts and basil leaves

Note:.

•  In this recipe I used  Sambal Oelek (ground chili sauce ),  because this chili sauce  is made of chilies with no other additives such as garlic or spices for a simple taste. Refrigerate after opening. Keeps for several months.

See my other Thai Recipes :

Tom Yum Soup

Thai Green Curry

Tom Kha Gai- Thai Coconut Soup
Tofu Vegetable Soup 

Nellikkai ( Gooseberry ) Rasam / Dwadashi Sathuamuthu

Amlas are a classic Indian wonderberry, but is little known outside of Southeast Asia. It is exceptionally tart, astringent, and refreshing. The most common amla recipes include juice, pickle, and as a flavor enhancer in curries and rice-based dishes. Today Dwadashi day, , I decided to try making Sathuamuthu using amla and I was blown away by its taste. 

Prep Time:               10 Minutes

Cooking Time      :    20 Minutes

Recipe Category  :     Rasam, Soup

Cuisine               :    South Indian 

To Serve             :     3-4 People

Ingredients

Frozen Gooseberry /Fresh Amlas  :    6 nos.

Tomatoes(optional)   :                      1 no.

Green Chillies           :                      1 no.

Turmeric powder       :                      ¼ Teaspoon

Mint leaves (optional)                        1 Tablespoon

Asafetida Powder                               1 Teaspoon

Lemon Juice                                      1 Tablespoon

Salt                          :                       To Taste

Coriander Leaves  

         

For the Spice Paste:

Black Pepper          :        1 Tablespoon

Cumin Seeds                   1 Teaspoon

Coriander Seeds              1 Teaspoon

Ginger                            1 inch Slice

Curry Leaves                    Few

For Seasoning:

Ghee     :                        1 Tablespoon

Black Pepper :                 ½ Teaspoon

Cumin Seeds      :            ½ Teaspoon

Broken Red Chillies     :     4 Nos.

Curry Leaves       :            Few    

Method:

• Wash and Cut the Nellikkai into wedges. Discard the seeds.
• Wash the Tomato and  Chop tomato into fine pieces, place in blender with 1 cup water. Tomato juice is ready, keep it aside.

• Take a Blender , add nellikai,1 inch sliced ginger, green chili & Mint leaves. Grind them to a fine paste without adding any water.

• Coarsely grind pepper, cumin, coriander and Keep aside.

• Take a Sauce Pan add Asafetida powder, curry leaves, ground Nellikai paste, tomato juice, water & turmeric. Mix well and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 8 to 10 minutes.

• Add grounded spice powder and continue to cook on medium high for another 7 -8 minutes until it becomes frothy.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add a generous pinch of Hing. Once the Hing is fried, add mustard seeds and as they splutter add black pepper, cumin seed , red chillies and curry leaves.

• Pour the tempering to the simmering Rasam, remove from fire.
• Add the Lemon juice  and mix well.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with a bowl of steamed rice or enjoy as a light and healthy soup.

Note:

• Here I used frozen Gooseberries. ( In USA , we don’t get fresh Amlas). You can use fresh Nellikkai.
• Dwadashi days, I won’t use Mint and Tomatoes.

Appalam Kuzhambhu/ Pappad Gravy

A simple and easy Tamil Brahmin Kuzhambu prepared with fried papad or Appalam in tamarind gravy. Generally, Vathal Kuzhambu is made with vegetables. But this recipe uses Appalam instead. Whenever I run out of vegetables, feel like having Kuzhambu – Appalam Kuzhambu comes to my mind. This tangy Kuzhambu tastes yummy,  when mixed with rice and some sesame oil.

Preparation Time:  10 Minutes

Cooking Time:        20 Minutes

Recipe Category:    Kuzhambhu

Cuisine:                   South Indian

Serves:                    4 Nos.

Ingredients:

Tamarind Extract             3 Cups (  I used lemon size tamarind and extracted)

Appalam/Pappad             2 Nos.(  Break into Pieces)

Turmeric powder             ¼ Teaspoon

Sambhar Powder            1 ½ Tablespoon

Red Chili Powder             1/8 Teaspoon

Grated Coconut              1 Tablespoon (optional)

Jaggery Powder              1 Tablespoon

Salt                               To Taste

To Temper:

Gingerly Oil/Sesame Oil      3 Tablespoon

Mustard Seeds                   1 Teaspoon

 Fenugreek seed                1/4 Teaspoon 

Asafetida Powder               ½ Teaspoon

Curry Leaves                      few

Method:

• Soak tamarind in warm water for 10-15 minutes and extract tamarind water, discarding the pulp.
• Deep fry the papad pieces into hot oil. Keep aside.
• Heat the Kadai and add Oil, Mustard seeds. After it splutters, add the Fenugreek seed .
• Once it become golden brown, add the Hing and Curry leaves. Then  add the grated Coconut, Turmeric , Red Chili Powder and Sambar powder. Sauté it for few seconds.
• Add the Tamarind extract and Salt. Allow it to boil for 15 min, until the oil separates. Cook it in the medium flame.
• Finally add the Jaggery and mix it well. Switch off the flame/heat.
• Add the Appalam just few minutes before serving the Kuzhambu.
• Serve it hot with Rice and Potato Fry and Dangar Pachadi.

Note:

• You can also break the Appalam ( instead of deep frying ) and add it to the tempering .
• Appalam Kuzhambu thicken over the time because of Urdh in Appalam. So add water according to the consistency you desire.
• To add thickness to the gravy add 1 tsp of rice flour in 50 ml of water and add to the Kuzhambu.