Pad Tahini

For today’s Meatless Monday dish, we’re sharing a sneak peek Pad Tahini recipe from the upcoming book, Vegans Go Nuts! The book is available for preorder now and hits shelves in about a month, but we thought we’d give you a taste of what’s to come. Enjoy!

Pad Tahini
NUT AND SEED: PEANUT AND SESAME (TAHINI) > GLUTEN-FREE POTENTIAL

Our spin on Pad Thai is one of those dishes that tastes even better reheated the next day. Kind of like take-out, with something extra added in: tahini, in this case, which adds extra flavor, protein, and calcium.

1 ounce (28 g) sliced dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
2 cups (470 ml) water
¼ cup (64 g) tahini paste
¼ cup (80 g) brown rice syrup or 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (54 g) agave nectar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 ml) fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 ml) tamari, plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (40 g) tamarind paste or concentrate
1½ teaspoons peanut oil
¾ cup (120 g) chopped red or white onion
1 red bell pepper, trimmed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced, to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 cups (270 g) chopped green cabbage
8 ounces (227 g) brown or regular rice pad thai noodles
1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Garnishes: Thinly sliced scallion, chopped dry-roasted peanuts, roasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges

Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Cover with the water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking water. Set aside.

Whisk to combine ½ cup (120 ml) mushroom water, tahini, syrup, juice, tamari, and tamarind in a small saucepan.

Heat on medium-high heat, lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently until just thickened, about 4 minutes. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, and sauté on medium-high heat stirring occasionally until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until the pepper just starts to soften. Add the pepper flakes, salt, and turmeric. Stir to toast for 1 minute. Add the cabbage, and sauté until softened but still crisp, about 4 minutes.

In the meantime, bring to a boil the last of the mushroom water combined with enough water to generously cover the noodles. Carefully remove from the heat, add the noodles, and soak until al dente, following the instructions on the package. Drain, then stir the sesame oil into the noodles.

Stir the noodles and as much sauce as desired into the vegetables, and simmer to meld the flavors, about 4 minutes.

Serve with garnishes and extra tamari, if desired. If you have leftovers of the sauce, use them to moisten leftovers.

YIELD: 4 to 6 servings

Buy from an Online Retailer

The ultimate guide to protein-packed, nut-filled vegan recipes!

If you think nuts are just for snacking, get ready to have your world rocked! One of the most nutritious, protein-packed staples of a plant-based diet, nuts can be used in limitless ways to create satisfying meals full of hearty flavor. From main courses, to snacks and drinks, to desserts and cheeses, nuts are used as the main building block of so many delicious vegan recipes. Vegans Go Nuts explores the many ways to cook and bake with nuts, using only vegan ingredients. From the usual suspects such as cashews and peanuts, to more underrated nuts and seeds like hemp and hazelnuts, you’ll start by learning to make the essentials – nut and seed milks, butters, and flours. Accomplished authors Celine Steen and Joni Newman will show you just how versatile this staple food can be in your plant-based diet.

Go nuts with 100 vegan recipes, including:

Peanut Butter Farina

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Basic Chickpea Cashew Omelet

Hawaiian Macadamia Tacos

Simple Nutty Cheese

Nut Butter Roasted Cauliflower

Pistachio Orange Beet Pilaf

Rocky Road Pie

Make nuts the inspiration of your meal, instead of just an afterthought, with Vegans Go Nuts!