Our friends Maria and Charles brought us the most delicious dish when they came to meet Annabel a few nights ago – Clean Pad Thai. It was amazing. And we went to Thailand on our honeymoon. So did they. I think that counts for something. I have always loved Pad Thai, but it is so loaded with calories and common food allergens that I don’t often indulge in it. This recipe is free of egg, gluten, peanuts, soy and sugar and its tastier than most restaurant versions. You will miss nothing, seriously.
Clean Pad Thai (serves 6):
- ¼ cup coconut aminos (a great substitute for soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup fish sauce, no added sugar
- 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 2 cups baby bok choy, white part only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 3-4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts, washed and drained
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, washed and picked off the stem
- 1/2 cup cashew nuts, chopped
- 1 package of brown rice noodles, cooked according to package directions*
*I purchased brown rice noodles for Pad Thai at Whole Foods found in the pasta aisle. The instructions say to boil in water for 13-15 minutes, but that was way too long, so I’d suggest checking them after about 8-9 minutes. They need to be rinsed and I drizzled a bit of EVOO to keep them from sticking.
In a bowl, whisk together the sauce: coconut aminos, water, almond butter, fish sauce, brown rice syrup and cayenne pepper until smooth.
Heat a large wok or deep frying pan over medium high heat, and add the 2 tablespoons coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cubed chicken and sauté for 4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove everything from the pan into a large casserole dish.
Clean the pan, add another tablespoon of coconut oil, and reheat the pan. Add the carrots, stir fry them in the oil and add a splash of water. Cover the pan and steam for 1 minute. Add the broccoli florets and a few tablespoons of the sauce mixture. Cover for another minute. Add the bok choy and scallions and stir fry for another minute.
Add the pre-cooked brown rice noodle and the rest of the sauce. Add the chicken mixture and the mung bean sprouts. Toss everything together and cover to heat for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the Pad Thai to a large serving dish and sprinkle with cashews and cilantro.
Enjoy!
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