Slow Cooker Pork Pad Thai using Thai Tamarind Paste Recipe
Slow Cooker Pork Pad Thai using Thai tamarind paste is surprisingly easy to make in a slow cooker, where succulent pork marries with the noodles added at the end to soak up the bold flavors of the tamarind sauce.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions white parts minced, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ serrano chili stemmed and sliced into thin rings
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth or Better than Bouillon roasted chicken base. 1 teaspoon mixed into 1 cup water = 1 cup broth.
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons tamarind paste found at whole foods or online. Substitute 2 teaspoons lime juice and 2 teaspoons water. Omit lime wedges.
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs , trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 4 ounces ¼-inch-wide rice noodles
- 2 ounces 1 cups bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 Tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- Lime wedge
Instructions
Before you begin:
- If you are making this pad thai in a large slow cooker, read the section on how to adapt a large slow cooker to make smaller meals. This will make sure you tender, flavorful pork ribs not dry and tasteless.
- Microwave sesame oil, scallion whites, garlic and serrano chili in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.Tip: Microwave the aromatics (scallion whites, garlic and chili in oil) in the oven proof bowl you will use to adapt your large slow cooker to make pad thai for two. Place this bowl into the large bowl of the slow cooker. Stir in broth, sugar, tamarind paste and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce.
- Season pork with salt and pepper and nestle into the small bowl placed inside the large bowl of the slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat; 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.
- Transfer pork to cutting board, let cool slightly, then pull apart into large chunks using 2 forks. Now, nestle noodles into the cooking liquid left in slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Add pork to noodles and gently toss to combine. Let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- To complete the dish, add bean sprouts, scallion greens, vinegar, and remaining ½ tablespoon fish sauce and toss to combine. Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.