Tofu and Shrimp Thai Noodles

So this dish was originally supposed to be pad thai, but any time I make it it never quite comes out the same as what you order at a Thai restaurant. On top of that, when I started cooking I realized I didn't have the right kind of noodles, but that's okay - you make the best with what you have! I'd say even though it wasn't pad thai, it still came out good and while it looks like a lot of ingredients - if you do any sort of asian cooking in your home you probably have a lot of these on hand already anyway!

Tofu and Shrimp Noodle Stir Fry
1/2 container of tofu (firm)
9 med size shrimp, shell removed
rice noodles
1 egg, beaten

vegetables of your choice - broccoli, bell pepper, pea pods, carrot
1 TB fresh ginger
garlic
3/4 cup bean sprouts
scallions, chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
sesame oil
Sauce:
1 TB fish sauce
1 TB brown sugar
2 TB soy sauce (reduced sodium)
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 TB rice wine vinegar
1 TB sesame oil
1 frozen cilantro cube


1. I find it easiest to prep everything in advance for this recipe, given how much chopping everything requires. Another preparation you can do is get your shrimp marinated. I just rinsed mine off, took the shells off, and put them in a bowl with some orange juice, 1 tsp garlic and some chopped scallion.

2. With the tofu, you'll want to cut into small rectangles and pat it off with paper towel to take out some of the liquid in it, which will allow it to cook faster and actually get a sear on it in a hot pan.
3. Heat a large nonstick pan and once it's hot, pour the marinated shrimp in, with all of its marinating juices. After a couple of mins, flip the shrimp over, and cook another few mins. Shrimp cooks fast, so you'll remove just before they're done and let them sit in a clean bowl until you're ready to add them to the stir fry again later.

4. Add a little sesame oil (maybe a TB) to the pan, which should still be hot, and the next step will be to sear the tofu. Place all of the tofu, in a single layer in the pan, and once it's host and browned on that side, turn all of the tofu over and sear on the other side. Then you can put the tofu aside, as you did with the shrimp.
5. Add another TB of the sesame oil and now you're ready for your veggies. You'll want to add the veggies in gradually, starting with those that will take the longest to cook - yellow pepper, carrots, for ex. Once those have cooked through, you can add the pea pods and bean sprouts.

6. Move the veggies to the edge of the pan and in the hollow center, pour your beaten egg, using a spatula to scramble, until its almost cooked, at which point you can incorporate back into the rest of the veggies. Then you can add your veggies that will cook quickly, broccoli and zucchini for example. At this point you'll also want to add your sauce - which just consists of all of the 'sauce' ingredients listed above mixed together in a bowl!

7. As a last step you'll want to add back in the shrimp and tofu, both of which had already been cooked earlier. Be careful not to stir the tofu around too much or it'll break apart.
8. At this point you could serve this dish with either noodles or rice - whichever you prefer. I like the noodles, and you'll just want to cook your starch according to the directions on the package!

9. If serving with noodles like we opted for, you'll want to put the noodles in a big bowl and pour everything from the pan right over it, tossing to mix together afterwards. I also like sprinkling with additional chopped scallion at the end and serving the dish with a wedge of lime to squeeze on top!

This recipe could easily be made vegetarian too by omitting the shrimp and just using tofu.