your pad or my thai! (stolen and veganized from alton brown)

I am home in San Jose. This is what everyday should feel like, being
around family, feeling love and cooking and lots and lots of
secrets:))) ingredients, restaurants, recipes, music, new babies, new
ventures, live kombucha culture that is about the take over the
kitchen and eat my amazing lime pie.

Discoveries, anything that is new, just makes my heart beat!!! Now,
what can beat that? hmmmm pad thai would be good! From Alton Brown...

Ingredients

* 1-ounce tamarind paste
* 3/4 cup boiling water
* 2 tablespoons
* 2 tablespoons palm sugar
* 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
* 4 ounces rice stick noodles
* 6 ounces Marinated Tofu, recipe follows
* 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut oil
* 1 cup chopped scallions, divided
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons salted cabbage
* 3 ounces bean sprouts, divided
* 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped, divided
* Freshly ground dried red chile peppers, to taste
* 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Place the tamarind paste in the boiling water and set aside while
preparing the other ingredients.

Combine the soy sauce, palm sugar, and rice wine vinegar in a small
bowl and set aside.

Place the rice stick noodles in a mixing bowl and cover with hot
water. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the
other ingredients are measured out into separate bowls, drain the
water from the noodles and set them aside. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch
wide strips, similar to French fries.

Press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh strainer and add to the
sauce. Stir to combine.

Place a wok over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of the peanut
oil. Heat until it shimmers, then add the tofu. Cook the tofu until
golden brown, moving constantly, for no longer than 1 minute. Remove
the tofu from the pan to a small bowl and set aside.

If necessary, add some more peanut oil to the pan and heat until
shimmering. Add 2/3 of the scallions and then the garlic, cook for 10
to 15 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients in the following order
and toss after each addition: noodles, sauce, cabbage, and 2/3 of the
bean sprouts and peanuts. Toss everything until heated through, but no
longer than 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish
with the remaining scallions, bean sprouts, and peanuts. Serve
immediately with the ground chile peppers and lime wedges.
Marinated Tofu:

6 ounces extra-firm tofu, not silken

1 1/2 cups soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Wrap the tofu firmly in a tea towel. Place the wrapped tofu into an
8-inch cake pan. Top with another cake pan and weigh down with a
5-pound weight. (Bags of dried beans or grains work well.) Place in
refrigerator and press for 12 to 15 hours.

Place pressed tofu in a 2-cup container. Combine soy sauce and
five-spice powder and pour over tofu. Cover and refrigerate for 30
minutes, turning once. Remove the tofu from the marinade and use
immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.

Ahhh, the joy of having all the ingredients to this amazing
recipe----, this is real happiness that is like my new addiction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYhrYHmUPn0

be happy, eat veggies, spread the love.