Flat rice noodles (Pad Thai)

A perfect gourmet recipe made with lots of vegetables, wheat gluten cooked in delicious thick sauce and drizzled on top of cooked Flat rice noodles. A desirable vegan friendly exotic looking meal.

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
500 grams Flat rice noodles
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1 tablespoon soybean flour
1 teaspoon salt for gluten
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce
salt as per taste for the sauce
1 teaspoon salt for the noodles
2-3 teaspoons sesame oil for the rice noodles
2 tablespoons sesame oil for cooking vegetables
1 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 tablespoon chili flakes
1 cup water
1- 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves

Process: Mix vital wheat , soybean flour and salt in a bowl. Gradually add 1/4 cup cold water every time to knead the dough. Don’t make the gluten too soft by adding too much water. In a medium saucepan keep water for boiling and put small balls of the gluten in it. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid letting the gluten cook for 10-15 minutes.
In a big pot keep water boiling, add the rice noodles, cook only for a minute, remove the noodles out , wash under cold water and put it in a big bowl of cold water for couple minutes. Check up on the gluten and once its increased in size, turned bouncy then turn off the stove. Keep the gluten balls in the saucepan by keeping them covered with a lid.

In a wok place the cooked noodles , add salt and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Mix well , cover with a lid and keep aside.
Heat a big pot on stove , add the oil to cook the veggies, reduce the heat to low, add the carrots and beans. Add white pepper powder , bok choy, sweet and regular soy sauce, chili flakes, salt as per taste, cover and cook for a minute.
After that add the celery, bell peppers and gluten with its little water. Let the gluten cook and by that time make a thin paste of 1 cup water and corn starch by whisking well. Add this to the sauce and cook until it thickens with the desired sugar syrup consistency. Turn off the stove. Add 2 tablespoons of water mixed with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and add to the resting noodles again, mixing well. Remove a portion of the noodles on a plate , drizzle the sauce on top which is mixed with veggies and gluten. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve it hot.

Tip: For making sweet thick soy sauce at home, mix equal quantity of dark soy sauce and brown sugar ( 1 cup each) and cook on very low heat , stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Additionally you may also add a pinch of salt and few sprinkles of black pepper powder.

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