Easy, One Pot Gluten Free Thai Noodle and Veggie Bowl (vegan option +MeatlessMonday)

I'm really loving these one-pot dinners! It's so easy to clean up just one pot vs multiple pots and bowls and bits of cutlery, and I can even clean while dinner is cooking.

This week's one-pot gluten free dinner is a Thai-style dish, with a blend of sweetness and sour lime. It only takes about a ridiculous 17 minutes from start to finish. I'm a huge fan of Thai food, and without fail, whenever I get a Thai-style dish started by frying a bit of ginger, garlic, and green onions my husband - from wherever he is in the apartment - will say, "That smells really good!"

For some, Thai food can be a bit confusing, with unfamiliar flavours like kaffir, galangal, and tamarind. However, while not exactly the same, these can be substituted with more readily found things like lime, ginger, and brown sugar. I'll show you how, just keep reading! 


This particular dish is, as are all my one-pot dishes, very flexible, so if you want to leave out the nuts you can. If you want to add some bits of leftover chicken, shrimp, or tofu, go for it! If you have kale, peas, bell peppers, or mung bean sprouts, toss 'em in!!

It's all good. Trust me.





The original inspiration for this particular dish comes from ApronStringBlog's One Pot Wonder Thai-style Peanut Pasta

I've modified it to be a smaller dish that's gluten free, added some kale, and some further suggestions for alterations that you can make based on what you might have kicking around in the fridge. I also like to fry some ginger, green onions, and garlic in the pot for a minute to release their flavour (and delicious smells!!) before I add everything else.



The ingredients list is a little link heavy, but I hope it will help those of you who might find some of this stuff unfamiliar.

Also, sorry for the less-than-stellar photos on this one. It was late last night and I had no natural lighting or garnishes, but I wanted to post this on the blog before I go to visit some family in wintry old Winnipeg, Manitoba for the weekend!

This recipe serves 3-4. You can easily double it to serve more, or have leftovers. In fact, Thai leftovers often taste even better re-heated the next day, after the flavours have had time to blend.



Ingredients for One Pot Gluten Free Thai Noodle and Veggie Bowl

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1" slice fresh ginger, peeled and minced OR 2 thin slices of fresh galangal added to pot with water and noodles
2 cloves garlic
2 green onions, whites and green stalks separated and diced

6 oz pad thai-style rice noodles
2 cups water of broth
2 tsp Tamarind paste OR 1 Tbsp brown sugar or equivalent sweetener
2 dried kaffir lime leaves OR 1 Tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce OR Coconut aminos for a soy-free version
1/2 tsp chili paste  (or more if you like extra heat!)
1/2 tsp fish sauce (omit for vegan option)
1-2 carrots, peeled and julienned or sliced (if you're lazy like me)
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, sliced thin into 2" sticks
1 Tbsp peanut butter (optional)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley (cilantro is best)

Optional:

Cooked chicken, scrambled eggs, cooked shrimp, fried tofu, 1 cup chopped kale, cashews, mung bean sprouts, lime wedges, whatever else you got in the fridge...


Top with more cilantro, chopped nuts, and/or lime wedges if desired.


Directions:

1) Heat oil in a medium - large pot over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and the whites of the green onions. Fry 1 minute to release flavour. Add all other ingredients except garnishes and those under the optional heading. Cover pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook about 8-10 minutes, until noodles are al dente and liquid is almost all absorbed.

If adding optional ingredients, toss them in about 5 minutes before cooking time is finished to heat through.

2) Add cilantro and remaining green onion. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with lime wedges, more chopped nuts, and cilantro.

So easy!! 

What's your favourite Thai dish?

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