Easy Pad Thai!

[Rhindeer 217]

I have been making this obsessively all week. It's so damned good. Also, stolen from Chloe Coscarelli.

 

SAUCE

1/4 cup mango or apricot preserves

2 tbsp tamari or aminos

2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (regular works fine, too--I ran out of seasoned rice vinegar once and subbed it and it was still delicious.)

3 tbsp light brown sugar (though I have totally used dark and it tasted delicious!)

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp turmeric

 

THE REST

8 - 10 oz rice noodles

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove minced garlic (or if you have a jar of minced garlic, use 1/2 tbsp)

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips (though I like mine diced, so I did it that way.)

1/2 cup carrot, cup like chips (about one large carrot. I used two large carrots, but I like a lot of veggies.)

1/2 cup snow peas (I used sugar snap peas, and again I put way more than that.)

2 scallions/green onions

 

OPTIONAL

Lime wedges

Crushed peanuts (I toss mine in without crushing them.)

 

In a large skillet or wok, heat your oil, then throw in your garlic, bell pepper, scallions, carrots, and snow peas. Lightly salt them, then cook them over medium for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. You want them to still have that crunch.

 

Get a large pot of salted water boiling, and cook your rice noodles according to the packaging. Drain and rinse and throw it back in the pot. Once your veggies finish, add them to the pot.

 

For the sauce, just toss all the ingredients together into a small bowl, whisk to thoroughly mix. Then throw that on the noodles and veggies and mix it all up!

 

My sauce is usually thick enough I don't do anything additional from there. But if your sauce is thin, you can cook it all in the pot until it reaches your desired consistency.

 

Voila! Easy pad thai! Toss your peanuts in, squirt on some lime, and enjoy.