Prawn Pad Thai
Serves 2
The traditional version of this dish can come in at around a thousand calories per serve and contains the equivalent carbohydrates to half a loaf of bread! My version is bulked out with vegetables to keep it lighter, and if you want a fasting version, you can make it even less calorific by using carbohydrate-free konjac noodles.
½ x 250g packet dried thick rice noodles
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter 1 tablespoon olive oil
200g uncooked prawns, shelled and deveined
1 garlic clove, minced or finely diced 1 teaspoon minced or finely diced ginger
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 bunch bok choy or choy sum, roughly chopped 60g ( ½ cup) finely sliced red capsicum
20 snow peas, halved finely sliced fresh chilli, dried chilli flakes or Sriracha sauce (optional)
100g (1 cup) bean sprouts
2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander 2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted peanuts or cashews
1 Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and lay out on a clean tea towel to dry completely (this is really important!).
2 In a small bowl, whisk the tamari and peanut butter together.
3 Heat a wok or a non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add half of the olive oil to the pan and then the prawns. Stir-fry, tossing constantly, until the prawns are no longer translucent; this should only take a minute or two. Place them in a bowl and set aside.
4 Add the remaining olive oil to the wok, return it to the heat and add the garlic, ginger, spring onion, bok choy, capsicum and snow peas. Stir-fry for a few minutes, moving everything around regularly, until the vegetables begin to soften.
5 Add the noodles and prawns to the wok and toss everything together well. Pour over the peanut sauce and add some chilli, if you like. Stir-fry for another couple of minutes, until everything is well combined.
6 Divide between two bowls and serve topped with the bean sprouts, coriander and some roasted peanuts or cashews sprinkled on top.