yes, that's right, pad. thai. kugel. the best of both worlds, if you will. if you don't know what a kugel is, you should (so read up). then realize that this combination really isn't that weird. half of you will probably think, ew that's weird and the other half will say something such as, OHMYGODWHERECANIGETIT?! that's the thing. apparently you can't. you have to make it. or make it up, which is what i did.in keeping with the asian theme, i decided to keep dairy out of it (because, ew) and here's what happened. a pretty straight forward pad thai recipe mixed with eggs, silken tofu and baked. voila. that easy.
be sure to get a pad thai refresher before starting.
pad thai kugel
serves 8
- 3 eggs + 1 white (or 4 eggs)
- 1.5-2 packs silken tofu
- 12 oz rice noodles, 1/4-inch wide
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 4 tablespoons tamarind puree
- 1/2 cup thai palm sugar light brown or brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 4 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp (optional)
- 1/4 cup finely julienned carrots
- 2 tablespoons shredded salted radish, rinsed briefly
- 2 cups scallion greens, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 cup chopped, toasted peanuts
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- make filling: in a large bowl, whisk together silken tofu and eggs until smooth. set aside.
- make the pad thai:
- set up ingredients: soak the noodles in warm water for 15 minutes then rinse with cold water and drain well. they should be softened but not too soft. whisk together the red pepper, fish sauce, tamarind and palm sugar (seasoning). get everything else prepped and lined up in the order they are needed, since the stir-fry process happens so quickly.
- stiry-fry the noodles: heat wok (or large pan) over high hear, add oil and heat until it shimmers. add shallots and cook until they begin to brown. add garlic and cook until golden brown. add more oil, if necessary. stir in dried shrimp, carrots, radish and soaked noodles. coat these ingredients with oil and stir-fry 30 seconds.
- add the seasonings: stir-fry noodles briefly, adding water as needed. fold in the seasoning sauce, scallions, and bean sprouts. cook for 10 seconds to soften bean sprouts. taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- remove from heat and fold the pad thai into the bowl with filling mixture.
- pour into a greased 9x13 dish and bake at 400 degrees until top slightly browns and filling is set, about 30 minutes.
- garnish with the peanuts and lime.
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