Asian Tofu and Noodles

Perfectly seared tofu, is the star in this stir fry dish bursting with veggies. Served on top of rice vermicelli this is a fantastic and easy Vegan meal.

One of my goals for 2021 is to continue with self care and healthy weight loss. Since I am not a very big red meat eater, I have been looking for protein options other than our regular chicken/turkey, pork and fish dinners. When I started working at a Natural Food Market 4 yrs ago, I had the opportunity to finally try tofu. I had always been curious as to how it tasted, but was not brave enough to buy some, just in case I didn't care for it. Once I tasted it at work, I loved creating new recipes using it, for our Vegan customers.

What is tofu? Tofu is a food, originating in China, that is made using condensed soy milk, that has been pressed into blocks, in a way similar to cheese making. It is very high in protein and contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. It is a low calorie, nutrient dense food. However you may want to eat if sparingly if you have breast health issues and thyroid issues as it is made with a high volume of soy.

When thinking of alternative protein options tofu was on my list. It is easy to work with and absorbs flavours quite easily. One of my favourite ways to cook tofu, is to give it Asian flavours. So naturally a stir fry bursting with veggies and tofu was my go to. The tofu paired wonderfully with the sweet snap peas, carrots and bean sprouts. Tossed in a simple stir fry sauce, it soaked up all those wonderful Asian flavours.

Asian Tofu and Noodles

14 oz extra firm tofu (1 block)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbs sesame oil, divided
1 Tbs light cooking oil (I used a sun coco blend)
2 C sugar snap peas
1 1/2 C carrot, thinly sliced into rounds
3 C bean sprouts
1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
6 green onion, green tops only, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
14 oz package of rice vermicelli noodles
1/4 C low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
2 Tbs sesame oil
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs cornstarch
seasame seeds for garnish

Remove tofu from packaging, draining out water. Cut into 1 inch slices and place on top of paper towel. Cover with additional paper towel and a clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy pan or baking dish on top of the tofu, to press out any additional liquid; press for about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl or mason jar, combine the soy sauce, 2 Tbs sesame oil, brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

Once tofu has been pressed, preheat cooking oil in a heavy skillet or wok, over slightly high heat. Cut tofu into bite size pieces and toss with 2 Tbs sesame oil and garlic powder. Add tofu to the hot pan and cook until all sides have a nice brown crust. Remove from pan and set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

In the same pan, heat the remaining Tbs of sesame oil. To it add the carrot slices, snap peas, garlic and ginger. Cook stirring frequently, until carrots are tender crisp, about 10 minutes. Add in the bean sprouts, green onion and the seared tofu to the pan. Cook 3 minutes until the bean sprouts begin to soften. Pour in the soy sauce mixture over tofu and veggies, stirring to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.

While veggies cook, add the vermicelli to boiling water, and cook according to package directions. Once cooked, either equally distribute to 4 plates, or toss together with tofu and vegetables. Sprinkle with a generous amount of sesame seeds, when serving.

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