Noodles and Tofu

Makes 3-4 servings.

From vegan cook, Christina Pirelli, an easy to make, and easy to present main course dinner idea. Most kids love noodles and more than you think, kids will try tofu, if it’s delicious. Try this well-balanced meal of complex carbohydrates, protein and vegetables to keep your young ones strong and vital.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3-4 thin slices fresh ginger, finely minced
1 red onion, thin half moon slices
soy sauce
6-7 button mushrooms, brushed free of dirt, thinly sliced
1 carrot, fine matchstick pieces
1 small bunch bok choy, rinsed well, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2-3 slices packaged baked tofu, cubed
2 teaspoons brown rice syrup
8 ounces whole wheat udon noodles
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, finely minced

Instructions

1. Place a small amount of oil, ginger and onions in a deep skillet and turn heat to medium.
2. When the onions begin to sizzle, add a dash of soy sauce and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms release their juices, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in carrots, bok choy and a light seasoning of soy sauce. Stir in baked tofu and rice syrup and season with soy sauce to taste. Saute until bok choy is wilted and crisp-tender.
5. While the vegetables are sautéing, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the udon al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse well.
6. Stir cooked noodles into sautéed tofu and vegetables, stir in lemon juice and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Source: Christina Cooks by Christina Pirello Page 260
PBS Cooking with Children: Fried Noodles with Tofu and Vegetables - Series 7

Ingredients

2 ounces uncooked bean threads (cellophane noodles)
1/2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms (about 6)
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups (1/4-inch) diagonally sliced carrot (about 1 pound)
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 cups (1-inch) sliced bok choy
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 (12.3 ounce) package reduced-fat firm tofu, cubed
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil or chili oil

Directions

1. Place noodles in a large bowl; cover with warm water. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain; set aside.
2. Combine the mushrooms and boiling water in a bowl; let stand for 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, reserving the mushroom liquid. Cut mushrooms into strips.
3. Heat peanut oil in a wok or nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeño, ginger, and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, carrot, and salt; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup reserved mushroom liquid; cover and cook 3 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender and liquid evaporates.
4. Add bok choy; stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in noodles, remaining mushroom liquid, soy sauce, and tofu; cook for 2 minutes.
5. Combine 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch; pour into pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Drizzle with sesame oil.

Source: Cooking Light December 2000
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222174

Ingredients

1 jar Pad Thai sauce (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 lb Tofu, extra firm
1 Pkg Rice Noodles
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Broccoli Crown
15 Baby carrots
1 Lg White Onion
3 Green Onions
Chopped Peanuts

Directions

1. Drain tofu well and cut into small thin strips about 1/2 inch long and as thin as possible
2. Place tofu loosely in a bowl or Tupperware container and pour 1/2 pad thai sauce over tofu pieces
3. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for several hours or over night.
4. Remove tofu from sauce as much as possible (keeping access sauce) and fry in a single layer (I have a med sized fry pan and I usually do two batches) until tofu in browned and crispy on both sides
5. Remove from fry pan and pour access sauce over to keep moist, cover to keep warm until serving
6. Prepare rice noodles in accordance with package directions
7. Chop vegetables (I usually do this while the tofu is frying) and with the exception of the green onions toss in a bowl together,stir fry vegetables to almost your desired crispness
8. Add remaining 1/2 jar of Pad Thai sauce and cook for an additional 5 min
9. Serve vegetables over rice noodles, place a serving of tofu over vegetables and top with chopped peanuts (can be garnished with shredded carrot)

Source: http://www.grouprecipes.com/79347/soba-noodles-and-pesto-ginger.html

Ingredients

Version 1 ingredients
2 tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp Bragg’s Aminos

2 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cooking sherry
1 tbsp. red wine
1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, sliced into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces buckwheat Udon noodles

Version 2 ingredients
4 tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 tsp. dark sesame oil, divided
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. mirin
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into cubes (or rectangles)
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, sliced into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces buckwheat somen or soba noodles

Directions

Note: Don’t throw anything away in this recipe! You’re going to re-use the marinade as well as the asparagus cooking water.

• Place a large pot of water on to boil. In a large bowl, mix together 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp of Bragg’s Amino Acids and 1 tsp. sesame oil. Add the tofu and marinate as you heat a non-stick skillet lightly coated with oil.
• When the skillet is hot, lift the tofu out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and put it in the skillet. Cook, turning, until brown on all sides.
• While the tofu is cooking, add 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp Bragg’s, plus the sugar, sherry, red wine, vinegar and minced garlic to the marinade.
• When the tofu is done, add it to the marinade in the bowl, stir it, and set it aside.

• By now the water should be boiling. Add the asparagus and cover. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon and toss it together with the tofu and marinade.
• Return the water to a boil, add salt and add the udon noodles. Cook until pasta is tender, about 6 minutes. Drain it, rinse with hot water, return it to the pan and toss it with 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp Braggs, and 1 tsp. of sesame oil.
• Serve immediately with asparagus and tofu mixture on top.

Sources:

1. http://hardcoreherbivore.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/udon-with-tofu-and-asparagus-in-a-soy-sesame-sauce-recipe/
2. FatFree Vegan Kitchen http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/archive/2006_03_01_archive.html

Ingredients

1 jar Pad Thai sauce (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 lb Tofu, extra firm
1 Pkg Rice Noodles
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Broccoli Crown
15 Baby carrots
1 Lg White Onion
3 Green Onions
Chopped Peanuts

Directions

1. Drain tofu well and cut into small thin strips about 1/2 inch long and as thin as possible
2. Place tofu loosely in a bowl or Tupperware container and pour 1/2 pad thai sauce over tofu pieces
3. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for several hours or over night.
4. Remove tofu from sauce as much as possible (keeping access sauce) and fry in a single layer (I have a med sized fry pan and I usually do two batches) until tofu in browned and crispy on both sides
5. Remove from fry pan and pour access sauce over to keep moist, cover to keep warm until serving
6. Prepare rice noodles in accordance with package directions
7. Chop vegetables (I usually do this while the tofu is frying) and with the exception of the green onions toss in a bowl together,stir fry vegetables to almost your desired crispness
8. Add remaining 1/2 jar of Pad Thai sauce and cook for an additional 5 min
9. Serve vegetables over rice noodles, place a serving of tofu over vegetables and top with chopped peanuts (can be garnished with shredded carrot)

Source: http://www.grouprecipes.com/20815/tofu-pad-thai.html

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients

6 ounces uncooked rice sticks (rice-flour noodles), angel hair pasta, or vermicelli
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon green curry paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 (12.3-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup red bell pepper strips
4 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
1 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Place noodles in a large bowl. Add hot water to cover; let stand 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Combine coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, curry paste, and salt in a small bowl.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
4. Add tofu; sauté 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove tofu from pan; keep warm.
5. Add bell pepper to pan; sauté 1 minute or until crisp-tender.
6. Add cabbage; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in noodles, coconut milk mixture, and tofu; cook 2 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in green onions and cilantro.

Source: Cooking Light, May 2002 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes

Yield: serves 6-8 as a side, less as a main.

Add a touch more curry paste if you like your noodles spicy.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/3 cup unsalted almond butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
very scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 - 8 tablespoons hot water
12 ounces dried soba noodles
12 ounces extra-firm nigari tofu
4 ounces pea shoots (or other greens, or tiny pieces of broccoli)
12 leaves fresh basil, slivered
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

1. Make the almond sauce by mashing the curry paste into the almond butter.
2. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. And then whisk in the hot water one tablespoon at a time until you have a pourable dressing that is about as thick as a heavy cream. The dressing thickens as it cools, so feel free to thin it out with more water later on if needed. Taste, and add more salt or more curry paste if you like.
3. Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain and shake off as much water as possible.
4. While the pasta is cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into matchsticks or 1/2-inch cubes. Cook the tofu, along with a pinch or two of salt, in a well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Add a tiny splash of oil if needed to prevent sticking. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. About 15 seconds before the tofu has finished cooking, add the pea shoots to the hot pan.
5. In a large bowl combine the noodles with 2/3 of the almond sauce. Toss well, be sure all the noodles get coated. Arrange the tofu and pea shoots on top of the noodles, drizzle with the remaining sauce, and garnish with the slivered basil and toasted almonds.

Source: 101 Cookbooks blog http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/almond-soba-noodles-recipe.html