Vegan Vegetable Pad Thai with homemade tomato paste – Gluten-free version

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade tomato paste ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Wash the tomatoes, remove the cores and quarter each tomato.

   KnifeCutting board
2. 2
   Put the tomatoes, the salt and half of the olive oil in a wide pot, cover and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and release their liquid.

   StoveWide, shallow pot
3. 3
   Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill or sieve and return the purée to the pot: the skins and seeds stay behind.

   Food millorFine sieve
4. 4
   Cook uncovered about an hour at a lively simmer, stirring now and then, until the purée reduces by half.

   StoveWooden spoon

   💡The paste burns easily as it dries: stir and scrape the bottom and edges, and once it is thick, don't walk away.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 110°C (230°F).

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
6. 6
   Grease a wide baking dish with the rest of the olive oil and pour in the purée in a thin layer. Dry in the oven about 3 hours, stirring and scraping the edges every 30 minutes, until the paste is thick, sticky and brick red.

   OvenBaking sheetSilicone spatula
7. 7
   Let the paste cool.

   Jar

For the Cooked pasta

1. 8
   Soak the noodles 20 minutes in cold water.

   Bowl
2. 9
   Drain.

   Colander

To assemble

1. 10
   Heat some of the oil in a large wok over high heat and fry the tofu 3–4 minutes, until it browns. Transfer to a plate.

   Stove
2. 11
   Add the remaining oil and the garlic and green onion and fry 1 minute.

   Stove
3. 12
   Add the mushrooms, carrot and pepper and fry 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 13
   Add the drained noodles and toss. Add the gluten-free soy sauce, sesame oil, tomato paste, sugar and lemon juice and mix well.

   Stove
5. 14
   Return the tofu. Stir and cook 2 minutes.

   Stove
6. 15
   Serve with the peanuts, cilantro and lemon slices.