Vegetable Pad Thai

This Vegetable Pad Thai recipe is so easy and tasty. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily whip it up for a weeknight dinner. The sauce is really easy to make and so much better than the pad Thai sauces you see at the store. Don't be tempted to buy them! It just won't be the same. This sauce is more flavorful and tangy compared to the sweet peanut-based sauces at your grocery store.

Ingredients

For the pickled jalapeños:

• 2 jalapeños, seeds removed, thinly sliced (keep the seeds if you like extra spice)

• 2 tsp cane sugar

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

For the pad Thai sauce:

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp Huy Fong Foods Chili Sauce

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tsp tamarind paste

• For non-vegetarians: 1 tbsp fish sauce

The rest of the ingredients:

• 1 14oz package pad Thai noodles

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 eggs

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp ginger, minced

• 1 green onion, thinly sliced (keep the whites separate from the green parts)

• 2 zucchinis, julienned

• 2 large carrots, julienned

• 2 red bell peppers, julienned

• Cilantro (for topping)

• Chopped peanuts (for topping)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the sliced jalapeños, cane sugar and rice wine vinegar. Mix, then set aside, allowing them to pickle.

2. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the pad Thai sauce. Set aside. 

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with a spoonful of the pad Thai sauce. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the sesame oil. Add the beaten eggs, coating the pan in an even layer without stirring. Let the eggs fry for a minute or so, then using a spatula, begin to flip the eggs in pieces. Let them fry for another minute. Then with the spatula, chunk the eggs up into smaller bite-sized pieces and stir fry until golden brown. Remove eggs from pan, and set aside. 

4. To the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil (can be sesame, olive, or coconut oil) over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, ginger and white parts of the green onion. Sauté for a couple minutes. Add the julienned vegetables and sauté for about 10 minutes, until veggies begin to brown.

5. Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. Once the water is hot, but not yet boiling, turn off heat and add the noodles. Soak the noodles for about 10 minutes. They should be limp but still a little firm/al dente. (Be very careful not to over-cook the noodles as they can get mushy. They will finish cooking in the sauce later.) Once done, drain the water.

6. Add the noodles and the pad Thai sauce to the pan with the vegetables. Mix to coat the noodles completely and cook, stirring often, for about five minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the noodles are done. (If the noodles seem too firm, cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring every once in a while, until noodles become soft). 

7. Mix in the fried eggs and cook for another minute to warm the eggs.

8. Serve with the pickled jalapeños, green onions (the green parts), cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!