Vegetarian mains
Bang Bang Tofu & Seasonal Green Noodles
We try to have some sort of brassica greens available for most of the year. Autumns and winter favour the heavier heads of cabbage, kale, and collards – robust and winter-hardy. Spring and summer greens dominate the more clement months, characterized by more open, loosely packed heads of leaves and a slightly faster cooking time. They’ll all work here, finely shredded to add a flash of green to this punchy bowl of noodles.
Ingredients
main
- 120g brown rice noodles
- 2 tbsp cornflour - optional
- 200g smoked tofu, chopped into 2cm chunks
- 2 carrots, peeled halved and thinly sliced
- 150g cabbage, kale or summer greens, finely shredded
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- small bunch of coriander, finely chopped
- 4-5 mint leaves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- plain oil for frying, e.g. sunflower of vegetable
for the sauce:
- 60g peanut butter
- 2 tbsp ketjap manis, tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 chilli, finely chopped – keep the seeds in if you like things hot.
- 1 lime
Method
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Step 1
Put a medium saucepan of salted water on to boil.
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Step 2
While you wait, make the sauce. Mix the peanut butter with 2 tbsp of the ketjap manis, the maple syrup, chopped chilli and the juice from half the lime. Add approx. 1-2 tbsp of water; you want to loosen it slightly, so you can drizzle it when serving.
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Step 3
Add the noodles to the saucepan and simmer for approx. 4 mins or until just tender; stir them gently as they simmer. When cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to prevent them from sticking together.
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Step 4
Pat the tofu chunks dry with a little kitchen towel before transferring to a shallow bowl and sprinkling over the cornflour - this will give the tofu a crisp texture when fried.
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Step 5
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wok or large frying pan. Fry the tofu on a medium-high heat for 3-4 mins, turning it now and then, until starting to colour. Transfer to a plate.
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Step 6
Heat a little more oil in the pan. Stir-fry the carrots for 2 mins, then add the greens and spring onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the veg is softening but retains a little bite. Add a little splash of water to help them along.
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Step 7
Add the noodles and tofu. Toss together to warm through. Lightly season - the peanut dressing will provide extra seasoning.
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Step 8
Divide between bowls and serve drizzled with the peanut dressing and scattered with coriander, mint and sesame seeds. Serve with a wedge of lime.