Tofu Pad Thai with Brown Rice

By Sous Chef Douglas Reska

There are four steps in this recipe.

Step 1 / Day 1

Pad Thai Sauce

Ingredients:

1 oz or 1 tsp fresh garlic, mince
1 oz or 1 tsp fresh shallots, mince
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup clear-seasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp canola oil or vegetable oil
2 Tbsp tamarind paste concentrate
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 ½ Tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 tsp 100% lime juice
1 tsp sesame oil
1½ oz or 1½ tsp red curry paste
2 oz or 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp eel sauce

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté garlic and shallots until fragrant.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Ensure all ingredients are combined and watch carefully to avoid burning the sugar. 
  3. Reserve. (Note: Part of the sauce will be used as an overnight marinade for the tofu steaks)

Step 2

Tofu Steaks

1 block extra firm tofu, cut into 4 steaks 

Instructions:

  1. Cut the tofu into four slabs and score the tofu on both sides with a shallow crisscross pattern to allow the marinade to penetrate the tofu.
  2. Marinate the tofu in a quarter of the Pad Thai sauce overnight.

Step 3 / Day 2

Sesame Brown Rice

Ingredients:

1 ½ Tbsp sesame oil
1 ½ Tbsp fresh garlic, mince
8 oz or 1 1/3 cups brown rice
2 cups water
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toast

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil and sweat the garlic.
  2. Add uncooked rice and cook for 2 minutes. 
  3. Add water and salt. 
  4. Heat to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20-30 minutes. 
  5. Add sesame seeds and fluff with a fork.  
  6. Reserve warm. 

Then:

  1. Drain tofu from the marinade and discard the remaining marinade. 
  2. Grill tofu steaks on a char grill. Reserve warm.

Step 4

Vegetables

Ingredients:

3 oz or 2 Tbsp dry roasted peanuts, rough chop
¼ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
3 oz or 2 Tbsp fresh carrots, matchstick
3 oz or 2 Tbsp white onions, julienne
1½ oz or 2 Tbsp napa cabbage, shred
3 oz or 3 Tbsp shitake mushrooms, slice
3 oz, or 2 Tbsp red bell peppers, matchstick

Instructions:

  1. Roast peanuts on medium heat until fragrant **Be careful not to burn**
  2. Heat oil in a sauté pan and sauté all vegetables until tender.
  3. Reserve warm. 

Garnish Toppings

1½ oz canned bean sprouts, drain
2 oz or 1 Tbsp fresh green onions, thin slice bias cut
1½ cups fresh cilantro, chop
1 ea lime wedge

Assemble 

Layer the ingredients on individual serving plates:

  1. 4 oz of brown rice
  2. Sauteed vegetables and peanuts
  3. ¼ cup of Pad Thai sauce
  4. Grilled tofu
  5. Garnish with bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro and lime wedge. 

Serves 4-6