Vegan Pad Krapow with Tofu

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time20 min

4.8

(26)

Pad Krapow is one of Thailand's most beloved street-food dishes, and this plant-based version delivers every bit of the bold, fragrant heat that makes it so addictive. Extra-firm tofu gets pressed and pan-fried until the cubes are genuinely golden and crisp on the outside — no soggy shortcuts here. A layered sauce built from tamari, vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce gives the dish that deep, savory complexity you'd expect from a restaurant plate. Bird's eye chilies and six cloves of garlic hit the wok first, filling your kitchen with an aroma that makes it very hard to wait for dinner. The whole thing comes together over high heat in minutes, finished with a generous fold of fresh holy basil that wilts just enough to release its peppery, slightly clove-like fragrance. Served over fluffy jasmine rice with a squeeze of lime, this makes four satisfying bowls that taste like they took far more effort than they actually did.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the rice

2 cups jasmine rice
3 cups water
¼ tsp salt

For the stir-fry

14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 thai bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced (or more to taste)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups fresh holy basil leaves (or thai basil)

For the sauce

2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water

For serving

4 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Instructions

1
Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine the rinsed rice, 3 cups water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes.
2
While the rice cooks, press the tofu: wrap the block in several layers of paper towels, set it on a cutting board, and place a heavy skillet on top for 15 minutes. Cut the pressed tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.

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