Vegan pad Thai with purple sprouting broccoli

My current favourite mid-week meal. Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list, this is super easy and quick.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

For the pad thai sauce

6 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

2 tbsp tamarind paste

3 tbsp brown rice syrup (I just use maple syrup or honey)

4 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from approx 2 limes)

For the tofu and broccoli

450g purple sprouting broccoli

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1.5cm ginger, peeled and grated

2 bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped

225g firm tofu, drained and cubed

250g flat folded rice noodles

6 spring onions, finely chopped

Oil

A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves, shredded

A handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

METHOD

First, make the sauce by putting the peanut butter, tamarind paste and syrup into a bowl, then slowly mixing in the soy sauce, lime juice and four tablespoons of water.

Next, trim the broccoli, and put the florets into a bowl. Chop the stalks and leaves into 1cm pieces. Place the garlic, ginger, chillies and tofu in little piles within easy reach of the hob. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, rinse under cold water, drain, then drizzle with a tablespoon of oil and toss gently with your hands.

In a large non-stick frying pan with a lid, heat two tablespoons of oil on a medium-high flame, then fry the tofu for five minutes, turning every minute, until it’s pale gold.

Add the ginger, garlic and chilli, cook for two minutes, then add the broccoli stalks and four tablespoons of water, cover the pan and steam for two minutes, until the broccoli is tender. Add the broccoli florets, sauce and spring onions (reserve a handful for garnish), stir to combine, then cover again and leave for two minutes.

Turn the heat down to a whisper, add the noodles handful by handful, gently mixing them in until coated in sauce, then turn off the heat. Distribute the noodles between four plates and sprinkle over the reserved spring onions.

Scatter over the herbs and add a generous squeeze of lime, and serve immediately.

Recipe credit: Meera Sodha

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