Pad Thai Redux

lots of vegetables, minimal oil and no sugar...

Serves 4

• 4ounces rice noodles
• 2tablespoons neutral oil (like grapeseed or canola)
• 1large garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2bell peppers (whatever color you like), seeded, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 2baby bok choy, thinly sliced
• 1handful snow peas, ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
• Coarse salt
• 2handfuls watercress, roughly chopped
• 1tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1lime, halved
• 1handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1bunch scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 1handful peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2green jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
• Fish sauce for serving (optional)

1. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with nearly-boiling water. Let them sit until just softened, about 10 minutes. Drain them, cut them up a bit with scissors if they’re very long and set them aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it’s just fragrant, only about 30 seconds. Add the peppers and cook, stirring a bit, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bok choy and the snow peas and cook until they begin to soften a bit too, just another minute or 2. Season the vegetables with a large pinch of salt and then stir in the reserved noodles and then fold in the watercress.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil and another pinch of salt while you’re at it. Squeeze all the juice from the lime over the pad thai and stir to combine. Serve immediately with the herbs, scallions, peanuts and jalapeño. If you’re not totally vegan, serve with a splash of fish sauce too.

http://food52.com/recipes/20938-pad-thai-redux