Saucy Peanut Noodle Bowls with Tofu
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- rice noodles of choice 8 oz
- extra-firm tofu 1
- soy sauce or tamari 1 tbsp
- A
- cornstarch 2 tbsp
- avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil 2 tbsp
- Persian cucumbers or small English cucumber 1 oz
- large red bell pepper 1
- scallions 2
- shredded carrots 2 cup
- fresh mint or cilantro 1 handful
- roasted ¼ cup
- Sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce
- medium lime 1
Storage: Store the noodle salad and tofu separately in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The noodles and tofu are great right out of the fridge, so no need to reheat. Toss the noodles with a dash of water if needed to thin. If desired, reheat the tofu in a nonstick pan over medium heat with a touch of oil for a few minutes until warmed through and a bit crispy again (or eat cold). Top with a dash of soy sauce, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and/or chili sauce if desired. Nutrition boost: For more veggies, mix in sliced canned water chestnuts, thinly shredded cabbage, chopped snow or snap peas, or broccoli sprouts. For more protein, add more chopped peanuts on top. Shortcut: If you bought pre-baked tofu, skip steps 2 and 3. Simply chop it up and toss with the noodles in step 5.
-
1Gather: rice noodles of choice . For the pan-fried tofu: extra-firm tofu , soy sauce or tamari , A pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, cornstarch , avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil . For the veggies: Persian cucumbers or small English cucumber , large red bell pepper , scallions , shredded carrots , fresh mint or cilantro , roasted . For the for finishing:: Sambal oelek or chili-garlic sauce , medium lime .
-
2Cook the noodles. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil for the noodles. Cook (or soak) the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking.
-
3Prep the tofu. Drain the tofu, then pat dry. Slice the tofu vertically into 4 slabs. Pat dry the slabs again, then cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes. Add the tofu cubes to a bowl.
-
4Cook the tofu. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. In the meantime, toss the tofu cubes with the soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and a few twists of black pepper until well coated. Add the cornstarch and toss again until well coated. Line a large plate or cutting board with a few paper towels. Add the oil to the pan, and once shimmering, add the tofu and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Flip the tofu and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side. Lower the heat to medium if it starts to char. Transfer to the paper towel-lined surface.
-
5While the tofu cooks, prepare the Veggies. Cucumbers: Thinly slice on a bias. Bell Pepper: Thinly slice (cut in half first if very large). Scallions: Thinly slice. Mint and Peanuts: Chop the mint and peanuts.
-
6In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, scallions, carrots, and mint. Add the Peanut Tamarind Sauce plus 2 tbsp of water and toss until well combined. If the sauce is still too thick, add a bit more water.
-
7Divide among bowls and top with the tofu and chopped peanuts. Top with chili sauce if desired. Serve with lime wedges and squeeze on top before enjoying.