This recipe may look fairly long, but not to worry: It makes an entire meal in one dish!
Step 1: Cook Pasta
- 8 oz. whole grain brown rice pad thai (or fettuccini) noodles (Tinkyada is a good brand)
- ½ tsp. sea salt
Cook and drain pasta according to package instructions, return to pot and cover to keep warm. (Alternatively, serve over brown rice as pictured above.)
Step 2: Prepare Peanut Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. chopped garlic (from 1-2 cloves)
- 1 Tbsp. chopped jalapeno pepper, more or less to taste
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice (from 1-2 limes)
- ½ cup smooth, unsalted peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. coconut (or brown) sugar
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- ¼ to ½ cup water, as needed
Combine garlic, jalapeno and lime juice in cup of immersion blender. Allow to sit for 5 -15 minutes to take the raw edge off garlic.
Add peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and oil and process until smooth. Then add water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until sauce is a pourable but still fairly thick. Taste and blend in more jalapeno if more heat is desired.
Step 3: Cut Vegetables, Stir Fry and Combine with Noodles
- 1 Tbsp. neutrally flavored oil (e.g., canola, safflower)
- 1 lrg. onion, sliced about 1/8” thick x 2” long
- 2-3 med. carrots, cut in matchsticks
- 1 med. green pepper, sliced ¼” thick x 2” long
- 1 med. yellow squash, cut in matchsticks
- 1 med cucumber, cut in matchsticks
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
Cut Vegetables Cut vegetables and place in prep bowls. (See notes below)
Stir Fry Vegetables Heat the 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat, then stir-fry vegetables quickly just until crisp tender, in their order of hardness: onion, carrots, green pepper and yellow squash. Add cucumbers at the end for just a couple minutes or leave raw.
Combine Noodles and Vegetables Place cooked noodles in a large pasta dish, top with vegetables, sprinkle with sesame oil and toss gently to combine.
Step 3: Saute Chicken
- ½ to ¾ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into slices ½” thick (optional)
In same pan used to stir-fry vegetables, saute chicken over medium-low heat until lightly browned and cooked through, then slice into roughly 1” pieces. Add to noodle mixture.
Step 4: Finish Dish
- Chopped peanuts
- Chopped cilantro, to taste
- Fresh lime juice, to taste
- Chile oil or paste, to taste
Pour as much peanut sauce as desired over dish and toss gently to combine, reserving any extra sauce to serve at the table. Serve hot or at room temperature, topped with cilantro, additional lime juice, and/or chile paste or oil, as desired.
NOTES
Heat Options Instead of, or in addition to the jalapenos, chile oil or paste can be used, especially at the end if more heat is desired.
Ginger Option Try adding 1-2 tsp of freshly grated ginger (or ½ tsp. powdered ginger) at the same time as the garlic and jalapenos.
Cutting Vegetable Matchsticks Note that vegetables can also be simply diced.
For Long and Narrow Vegetables: Carrots, Broccoli Stems Cut horizontally into ~ 2” pieces. Slice each piece vertically into ¼” slabs and stack 2 high. Slice vertically into matchsticks.
For Rounder Vegetables: Yellow Squash, Cucumbers, Radishes Slice crosswise into rounds. Stack into threes and slice into matchsticks.
Vegetable Options Summer offers an array of options. Try to choose ones that create a nice color combination:
- Red, yellow or orange peppers
- Radishes
- Broccoli florets or stems
- Cauliflower florets
- Zucchini
- Green beans, cut in 1″ lengths
Protein Options
- White Fish
- Beef Strips
- Pork, ground or pulled
- Egg strips
- Tofu (cubed and fried)