This Crispy Tofu and Broccoli Pad Thai Recipe Is Healthy and Delish

Photo by Issy Croker

In her cookbook One: Pot, Pan, Planet: A Greener Way to Cook for You and Your Family, author Anna Jones dishes on how to make this mouthwatering meal.

Crispy Tofu & Broccoli Pad Thai

For the tofu and broccoli:

• 9 oz. flat wide rice noodles
• 9 oz. block of firm tofu
• 9 oz. purple-sprouting broccoli
• Neutral oil for frying (I like odorless coconut oil)
• 2 Tbsp soy or tamari sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• ¾″ piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 organic eggs (optional)
• 4 oz. bean sprouts

For the sauce:

• 4 Tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 Tbsp vegetarian fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 4 Tbsp light soy sauce

To serve:

• ⅔ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 2 red chiles, finely chopped
• 1 small handful of Thai basil leaves, shredded
• 1 small handful of mint leaves, shredded
• A handful of crispy shallots (see recipe)
• 2 limes

1. Soak the rice noodles in cold water for at least 10 minutes, until softened. Lay the tofu between 2 sheets of paper towel on a plate or clean surface. Place a small plate over the top and a jar or weight on the plate to press it down. Allow tofu to dry out for half an hour.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl with 4 tablespoons of cold water. Set aside. Cut the broccoli into florets and thinly slice the stalks, keeping them separate.
3. Slice the tofu into ½″ thick pieces (about half the length of your little finger). In a large nonstick frying pan or wok, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat, then fry the pieces of tofu for 6–8 minutes, turning them every minute, until golden all over. Add soy sauce and stir for another 30 seconds (be careful here, as the sauce may spit). Lift the tofu out of the pan with a slotted spoon onto a plate. Keep warm.
4. When cool enough, wipe the pan out with paper towel and add a couple more tablespoons of oil. Heat over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the broccoli stalks, drained noodles and 6 tablespoons of water and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the broccoli stems are tender and the noodles are beginning to cook and crisp up. Add the broccoli florets, sauce and most of the scallions along with 2 more tablespoons of water. Stir and cook for another 3–4 minutes until the noodles are soft enough to eat.
5. If you are using eggs, push the noodles to the sides of the wok and add a little more oil, then add the eggs. Pierce the yolks and, when the eggs are starting to set on the bottom, scramble them, then mix them into the noodles.
6. Take the pan off the heat and fold in the bean sprouts, then spoon the noodles among four warm plates. Sprinkle with the peanuts and the rest of the scallions. Scatter the chilies, herbs, and crispy shallots. Squeeze the juice of one lime, and serve immediately, with wedges of the other lime.

1. To make the crispy shallots: Heat ½″ of vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok until a sliver of onion dropped into it sizzles immediately. Fry 6 peeled and thinly sliced shallots in batches, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes for each batch, or until they are crisp and lightly browned. Remove shallots with a slotted spoon and drain in a strainer lined with paper towels. Let them cool. They will keep in an airtight container for about a week.

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