By Case D. Fischer
Another week of social distancing and near isolation has passed, and I don’t know about how things are going in your household, but I am sure that it’s the same as ours – another meal to create, what’s it going to be? I think that everyone has heard about those dishes that you create from everything you have left in the fridge or pantry. We have created a meal this week that is fun, tasty, and filling, and also helps you use up all of things that you have been stocking up on at the grocery store: Spicy Peanut Coconut Stir Fry! We’ll show you how to make a wonderful peanut sauce from scratch – it’s delicious and easy and it’s the star of the meal. Even though you can’t travel right now, it doesn’t mean we can’t travel through food. With this simple recipe, you can experience traditional Thai cuisine right in your own home!
The best part about this recipe apart from the flavors, is the time. This is a quick 25-minute meal that can be made for a fast lunch or dinner. We know that when cooking in your kitchen, three main details that most people look for are: fast, delicious, or different. We can confidently say that this recipe hits all three in one meal! We have created this dish with tofu for a healthy and vegetarian twist, but bite size portions of whatever protein you have on hand like beef, chicken or shrimp will work great too!
Stir fry dishes are a fun way to throw in your favorite meats, veggies, and spices all together into one pan. Whether you’re surrounded by friends, family, or yourself, there’s comfort in knowing you can cook an authentic, savory Thai stir fry meal in your home. There are so many variations and substitutions with this dish, anyone and everyone can enjoy it regardless of your dietary restrictions.
We’re using rice noodles that are vegan and gluten free. This recipe also works well with the veggies stir fried in the sauce, and served over brown rice, white rice, and quinoa. Anything you can find in your cupboard, throw it in–this is truly a meal from the walls of your pantry!
Now…let’s get to that recipe!
Peanut Sauce: (Or substitute 1 bottle of Dr. Foo’s Kitchen Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce)
1 1/2 tbs Peanut Butter
2 1/2 tbs Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Sriracha Sauce (add more or less for you level of spice)
1 tsp Chili Pepper Flakes (add more or less for your level of spice)
1 tsp Ginger powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Brown Sugar
2 tbs Water (add more or less to maintain a smooth consistency with the sauce)
Ingredients:
1 pack/2 cups cooked rice noodles
Cooked tofu
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Zucchini thinly sliced
Carrots thinly sliced
2 tsp sesame oil (vegetable, olive, or avocado oil will do just fine)
*For Substitutions: If you don’t have rice noodles-substituting spaghetti noodles, or plain linguini will do just fine. You can use frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables, and add in more veggies like cabbage, bean sprouts, broccoli, edamame, mushrooms, green onion, and so much more. This sauce is the essence of this dish, so adding more veggies will only enhance your cooking! Whatever veggies that you have, throw it in. Small things like the juice of a lime, and small flakes of basil give this stir fry a nice kick that compliments the peanut flavor.
Directions:
1. Whisk together the ingredients for the peanut sauce and set aside. (if using Dr. Foo’s Kitchen Thai Peanut Coconut Sauce, skip to step
2. Place 2 tsp sesame oil on a large non-stick pan (or wok) over medium heat. Add in your onion, garlic, and vegetables. Saute until caramelized.
3. Add in the peanut sauce, and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Reduce to low heat.
4. Place your cooked rice noodles into the sauce, and gently toss until thoroughly coated.
5. Serve on a dish topped off with cilantro, lime, or crushed peanuts for an extra kick!
Stir fry is always a great way to get you in your kitchen, use leftover veggies that you have, and become creative by combining your favorite foods together to create meals you thought you could only get from a restaurant. Finding new ways to put your spin on this dish makes it different, but still guarantees mouthwatering flavors every time.
