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PAD SEE EW NOODLE BOWL

Pad See Ew Noodle Bowl

I’ve been on an Asian food kick these days. I’m not talking authentic Asian food, but rather the flavors, textures and types of foods that I guess could be called Asian fusion. There is only one Asian grocery store in my area – a cute little Japanese market where I can find some Asian vegetables, noodles, miso and other great finds. These items, plus whatever I can find at Whole Foods, get thrown together to create these Asian-centric dishes that make my entire family happy. 

This recipe uses Nona Lim Pad See Ew noodles found at Whole Foods. Pad see ew noodles are usually used in Thai cooking. They are flat wide noodles made out of rice and are a huge hit with my kids. These noodles are also so fast to cook – just soak them in boiling water and throw them in your skillet! They can be considered Asian fast food, but healthy in the way I prepare them here using a combination of stir frying and steaming. I also add a couple eggs at the end, but you can always omit them to keep the dish vegan. It still tastes amazing!

This is another use for my spicy marinated tofu, also featured in my Spicy Marinated Tofu with Asian Greens recipe last week. As I wrote about in my last post, soy products are controversial, but I do love tofu and typically eat it up to once a week. Here’s an ugly, but hopefully useful picture of how I cook tofu in a cast iron skillet. It’s easier to sear and flip larger pieces of tofu when cooking. I usually cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces before serving.

Spicy Marinated Tofu
Pad See Ew Noodle Bowl
Pad See Ew Noodle Bowl
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Pad See Ew Noodle Bowl

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 14-oz package firm tofu
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp tamari divided
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Thai red peppers sliced thinly
  • 3 scallions sliced thinly & divided
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil divided
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 head broccoli cut into florets
  • 1/2 bunch asparagus woody ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 package mixed mushrooms shitake, enoki, oyster
  • 2 11-oz packages pad see ew noodles I used Nona Lim brand
  • 2 eggs optional
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse tofu well. Cut into 8 large rectangles. In a shallow bowl or baking dish, place tofu in one layer. Add 2 Tbsp of the tamari and the toasted sesame oil. Allow to marinate while you wash and cut vegetables.

  2. In a large skillet (cast iron preferred), heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil over medium heat. Add tofu in one layer. Top with Thai red peppers and 1/2 the scallions. Allow to cook until golden on one side, approximately 4 minutes. Flip tofu and cook on other side until golden, another few minutes. Remove from pan and cut into smaller cubes.

  3. Fill a large bowl with boiling water. Add pad see ew noodles. Separate noodles using chopsticks or forks. Allow to soak while you cook vegetables.

  4. In the same skillet (why wash two?), heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds. Add broccoli and a dash of sea salt. Sauté for a couple minutes, stirring often. Add 1/4 cup water, cover skillet and allow broccoli to steam for a few minutes undisturbed. Add asparagus pieces, mushrooms and another dash of sea salt. Sauté uncovered for another few minutes.

  5. Drain noodles. Add noodles, the remaining scallions and 1 1/2 Tbsp tamari to skillet. Sauté for a few minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover again and cook for another few minutes until noodles are soft, flavors meld together and all the veggies are cooked. Add cooked tofu and stir to combine.

  6. Optional: crack 2 eggs on top of the noodles and stir well to scramble while it cooks. Omit eggs if vegan. Cook until eggs are set and finished cooking.

  7. Taste and add more tamari, if needed. Garnish with sesame seeds (optional).