Raw Pad Thai
Let me first apologize for not being more on top of posting new recipes. For the last few weeks I have been preparing for this super swanky dinner party that I was catering for some of my clients.
Everything went off without a hitch. The plates were beautiful. And, the food was pretty darn tasty, if I do say so myself. And, then, at the end of the night I realized that I hadn’t taken even one single picture of anything I made. I guess you’ll just have to imagine the platters of Gruyere Gougeres, Charcoal-Grilled Bluefish, Grilled Rosemary-Parmesan Polenta Cakes, a Sweet Potato Pave with Boursin Cheese, and tons of Mini Desserts: Creme Brulee, Chocolate Raspberry Mousse, and Fruit Tarts with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream, all displayed amongst beautifully wacky flower arrangements and “Happy Birthday” balloons.
The whole event was a ton of exhausting work fun, but health-friendly it was not. The next day, as a sort of detox from the white flour, sugar, eggs, and dairy of the day before, I made this delicious meal – yet another take on the ever popular raw version of Pad Thai. This one is similar to the classic served at Roxanne’s in Larkspur, California.
RAW PAD THAI
serves four
adapted from a recipe in ‘A Best Recipe Classic: Restaurant Favorites at Home’
Tamarind concentrate and young Thai Coconuts are generally found in any well stocked grocery these days, but you can also find them at your local Asian markets. If for some reason you can’t find tamarind, try substituting it with orange juice concentrate. The flavor will be different for sure, but it’ll still be tasty. If you can’t find the coconuts, just leave them out. There is no real substitute for the magic that is young coconut flesh.
Tamari and Nama Shoyu are basically just soy sauce. The only differences are that tamari is wheat free and nama shoyu is raw. Otherwise, they taste exactly like soy sauce, so if that’s what you have on hand, go ahead and use it.
Tamarind Sauce:
3 Tbs. Tamarind concentrate
1 Tbs. maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbs. wheat-free tamari or Nama Shoyu
1 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
Almond-Chile Sauce:
1/2 cup Almond Butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced
1 Tbs. wheat-free tamari or Nama Shoyu
Pad Thai:
3 carrots, made into noodles by peeling them all around using a vegetable peeler
1/2 large organic cucumber, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
4 large basil leaves, chiffonade (cut into thin strips)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 young Thai coconuts, basically cut open like this, but excluding steps 12-15
1. For the Tamarind Sauce: Stir everything together and set aside.
2. For the Almond-Chile Sauce: Blend everything in blender, adding water as needed to thoroughly blend until it is smooth. Set aside.
3. For the Pad Thai: In a large bowl combine the carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, cabbage, sprouts, basil, cilantro, and enough of the Almond-Chile Sauce to thoroughly coat the veggies. Slice the meat from the coconut into “noodles” and set it aside.
4. To Assemble and Serve: Divide half of the Pad Thai amongst 4 warmed serving plates. Drizzle a bit of the tamarind sauce over the top and place the remaining Pad Thai over the top. Place a mound of the coconut “noodles” on top and spoon the remaining Tamarind Sauce over the top and around the plate. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro or a twist of lime and serve at room temperature.
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I love how this food was presented here. When I tried to create one myself, I find the food pleasing, however, presentation is my problem.