Phat Thai

Every raw chef has a raw Phat Thai recipe (pronounced Pad Thai). I have several different versions depending on my mood. Some take longer than others. This one is a good choice when you want a super quick fresh tasting dish. You can toss in whatever veggies take your fancy, adapting it to suit the last of what you have in the refrigerator.

This recipe does not mind being made two or three hours ahead of time. In fact it prefers it, giving time for the veggies to be transformed by the dressing . Or if you prefer your veggies fresh and crunchy, you can prepare the dressing and salad separately and transport it in your lunch box, marrying the two just before eating.  

PRO CHEF GUIDANCE

Make the dressing before the salad so all the ingredients can amalgamate to allow the flavours to develop whilst you prepare everything else.

If you are making this for others - slice the red chilli, so it is easy to identify and retrieve. Or serve the chilli on the side.

SUBSTITUTIONS

If you cannot find tamarind, you can either omit it or use something else sweet and sour like quince paste (good), ½ part white wine vinegar and ½ part agave/honey (better) or mango or peach chutney (best).

If you caught me making this live in the Deliciously Raw Kitchen Hangout, you will see I used salted peanuts. These are delicious but not strictly falling within the raw food pantry for the purists. You can use almonds or cashews.

Nuts can be substituted instead stirring a generous tablespoon of peanut or almond butter into the dressing.

Courgettes can be subbed with any type of spiralised veggie noodles. You can use cooked flat rice noodles, buckwheat noodles or vermicelli – whilst not being raw they contain impressive amounts of resistance starch as a prebiotic. Check out my blog post on how to dehydrate noodles for super fast pasta.

Add any veggies you wish – grated parsnip, shredded spinach, bean sprouts, sliced red onion, sliced baby corn or mange tout.

Fresh coriander leaf and fresh mint can be substituted for Thai basil.

PHAT THAI DRESSING

Makes 2 portions

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

A good pine fine sea salt

1 tablespoon red chilli, sliced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

GARNISH

3-4 tablespoons salted peanuts, almonds or cashews.

SALAD

2 stalks purple sprouting broccoli

1 courgette

1-2 carrots, peeled

¼ cucumber

½ red pepper (bell pepper)

4 shiitake mushrooms

1 small pak choi (or red cabbage or ½ head Chinese leaf)

A handful of coriander (cilantro) and fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon sea salad flakes or 1 sheet of nori, sliced.

A few pea shoots, micro coriander and micro basil – if you have it.

METHOD

In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Set aside.

With a pestle and mortar, crush the peanuts (or almonds/cashews) using they are a fine powder with some chunks of nut still visible to provide some texture. You want to grind the nuts so the powdery bits are just shy of becoming butter.  Add half to the dressing and set the rest aside as a garnish.

Remove the broccoli florets and finely chop the stems. Place these into the dressing to soften them whilst you prepare the rest of the salad.

Using a mandolin, finely slice the courgette along it lengthways and then slice it into wide flat noodles. Using a vegetable peeler, create carrot ribbons along the length of the carrot.

Cut the cucumber in half lengthways. Using a teaspoon a remove the seeds, then cut the cucumber into half-moons. Julienne the pepper, slice the shiitakes and shred the pak choi. Finely chop the coriander and fresh mint.

Combine all the salad together with the sea salad flakes, broccoli and dressing. Combine gently.

Place in a serving bowl. Top with the remaining crushed nuts, pea shoots and micro greens.

Thank you to Janet Hochstein for letting me use your photo. I ate mine as soon as I made it and forgot to take a photo!

Making a three course raw food meal doesn’t need to be a scary prospect. You can bring the raw food restaurant experience to your family and friends at home.

In my Simple Entertaining masterclass you can learn to create a raw plant-based, three course menu with style from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Watch the recorded livestream class, download the prep guide and recipes and 'cook-a-long' to create your own delicious and impressive raw food menu! Watch the different plating ideas too.

It’s raw food entertaining made simple.

“I made the whole menu and everything was utterly delicious. Can't wait for the next one. Brilliant experience 🌟” Lucy MacMaster, UK