Young Coconut Pad Thai with Almond Chile Sauce
Charlie Trotter writes, “The young coconut strands are slightly sweet and tender, emulating the classic rice noodle. The intense flavor and creamy texture of the Almond Chile Sauce adds a degree of lusciousness to the crispy vegetables.” Recipe from Raw by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein (Ten Speed Press, 2003).
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Charlie Trotter writes, “The young coconut strands are slightly sweet and tender, emulating the classic rice noodle. The intense flavor and creamy texture of the Almond Chile Sauce adds a degree of lusciousness to the crispy vegetables.” Recipe from Raw by Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein (Ten Speed Press, 2003).
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. tamarind juice (see note)
- 1 1/2 Tbs. maple syrup
- 2 3/4 Tbs. organic soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 1/4 tsp. minced serrano chile
- 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups julienned zucchini
- 1 cup thinly shredded red cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups julienned carrots
- 1/2 cup julienned red onion
- 1 cup julienned Granny Smith apple, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper
- 3 cups julienned young coconut meat
- 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbs. whole fresh coriander leaves
- 1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped
- 3 tsp. white sesame oil
- 1/2 cup raw almond butter
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
- 2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbs. organic soy sauce
- 1 Thai finger chile
- 1/4 cup water, to thin
Preparation
1. Purée tamarind, maple syrup, 1 & 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, garlic, minced chile, olive oil and salt until smooth. Place zucchini, cabbage, carrots, red onion, apple, red bell pepper, coconut meat, sliced serrano chile and fresh coriander leaves in a mixing bowl. Add tamarind purée, and toss together until evenly distributed. Season the pad Thai to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Toss cashews together in a small mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of white sesame oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. To prepare the Almond Chile Sauce: Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Add water to thin if necessary.
4. To serve, arrange some of the pad Thai mixture in center of each plate. Spoon some Almond Chile Sauce and remaining soy sauce and white sesame oil around pad Thai. Sprinkle with chopped cashews.
Note: To make tamarind juice, soak pulp, including seeds, in warm water in the ratio of 1 part pulp to 3 & 1/2 parts water—or 1 tablespoon pulp to 3 & 1/2 tablespoons warm water. After 15 minutes, squeeze tamarind pulp to extract liquid. Discard pulp and seeds, and use juice as needed.
Wine Suggestions
The unctuous texture and flavor contributed to this dish by the coconut, nuts and nut oil/butter should be met and balanced with a wine that invokes other tropical fruits and highlights the fresh chile. Gewürtztraminer can do all that. Try Domaine Weinbach Gewürtztraminer Cuvée Laurence.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 790
- Carbohydrate Content 55 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 63 g
- Fiber Content 14 g
- Protein Content 12 g
- Saturated Fat Content 33 g
- Sodium Content 1160 mg
- Sugar Content 32 g