8 ounces dried rice noodles (pad thai noodles, linguini-width), or enough for 2 people
For the Pad Thai Sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar, or more to attain sweet-sour balance
1/4 cup vegetable stock, or faux chicken stock
3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, or wheat-free soy sauce
2 1/4 teaspoons tamarind paste, or to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili sauce, or to taste, or 1/8 to 3/4 teaspoon chile flakes
For the Stir-Fry
3 to 4 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons diced onion
3 to 4 heads baby bok choy or 1 regular bok choy, cut into large dice
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable stock or white wine
1 to 2 large eggs or 1/2 cup soft tofu
2 to 3 cups bean sprouts
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts or cashews, divided
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, for garnish
2 wedges lime, plus more to taste and for garnish
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. Dunk in 8 ounces rice noodles and stir with a fork to separate.
Cook 4 to 6 minutes, just until noodles are limp but still too firm to eat (a little firmer than al dente). Then drain and rinse with cold water.
Combine 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable stock, 3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3/4 tablespoon tamarind paste and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chile sauce in a cup, stirring well to dissolve sugar and tamarind. Note that this sauce should have a very strong-tasting flavor: sour-sweet first, followed by salty and spicy. Add more sugar if it’s too sour. Set aside.
Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil, four cloves minced garlic and 3 tablespoons diced onion. Stir-fry for 1 minute to release the fragrance.
Add 3 to 4 heads of baby bok choy and 2 to 3 tablespoons stock or white wine to keep ingredients frying nicely. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy is bright green and slightly softened.
Push the ingredients aside and add 1/2 tablespoon oil to the center of the wok/pan. Add 1 to 2 eggs (if using—don’t add the alternative soft tofu quite yet) and stir-fry briefly to scramble.
If the pan is dry, push the ingredients aside and add a little more oil to the middle. Add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the pad thai sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 1 to 2 minutes using two utensils and a gently tossing motion (like tossing a salad).
Keep the heat between medium-high and high, reducing if noodles begin to stick or burn. Switch off the heat and add 2 to 3 cups bean sprouts, 2 sliced green onions, and 3/4 of the peanuts. Toss and taste test, adding more soy sauce for more salt/flavor. If too salty or sweet for your taste, add a good squeeze of lime juice. If too sour, add a little more sugar.
Continue adding sauce and stir-frying for 3 to 6 more minutes, or until all sauce is added and noodles are soft but still chewy and deliciously sticky. If using soft tofu, add it with the last of the sauce; it will break up and be distributed throughout the dish, just as the egg would.
To serve, scoop noodles onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining chopped peanuts and 1/3 cup fresh cilantro. Add 2 wedges of fresh-cut lime on the side to be squeezed over just before eating.
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