Ingredients

6 oz. rice vermicelli

3 tbsp. canola oil, divided

1 tbsp. belacan, crumbled

1/4 c. shredded carrot

3 c. chopped bok choy 

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

Juice of 1 orange

1 tbsp. fish sauce

2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided

1 c. diced cooked chicken

2 c. chopped huauzontle

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)

1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

1/3 c. crushed roasted peanuts, for topping

Preparation

Step 1Fill a large bowl with boiling water and add vermicelli. Let soak 2 minutes until noodles soften and turn al dente, then rinse under cold water. Drain, shake to remove excess moisture, and set aside.Step 2In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add belacan and stir until toasted, 30 seconds. Add carrot, bok choy, and white pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add orange juice, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and chicken and stir until juice has reduced, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.Step 3Return skillet to medium heat and heat 1 more tablespoon oil. Add huauzontle and cook until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in 1 more tablespoon soy sauce. Transfer to the plate.Step 4Return skillet to medium-low heat and heat final tablespoon oil. Add eggs and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until just set. Return chicken mixture and huauzontle to skillet. Add vermicelli, MSG, vinegar, and toss to combine.Step 5Garnish with peanuts before serving.

If you’re in search of a more classic pad thai, you’ve come to the wrong page. This recipe emerged out of happenstance and random chaos as most Budget Eats recipes do: without shrimp, I settled for a chunk of belacan and generous dashes of fish sauce to up the umami factor. Instead of using lime or tamarind, I subbed in orange juice and rice wine vinegar. Bok choy and huauzontle stood in for the usual bean sprouts and garlic chives and this experimental version was born. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. This was the highest-rated meal out of my entire week. Was it an ideal pad thai? Without copious amounts of aromatic alliums like shallots and nary a drop of chili peppers or chili oil in sight, definitely not. But it’s nice to know that, in a pinch, you could make do with what you have, and it might not be all that bad.