Step 1: Making the Dressing
- 8 thinly sliced green onion whites
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sweetener*
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp chile flakes
To make the dressing, simply combine together the ingredients and stir.
Note: For the sweetener, we often use a brown or palm sugar; however feel free to experiment to see what you prefer.
Step 2: Marinating & Cooking the Tofu
- 1 - 15 oz pkg extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1" cubes
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
To marinate the tofu, mix half of the dressing with the tofu and let marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Note: If you have leftover Indonesian Tofu or Sweet & Sour Tofu, feel free to use that instead — in that case, you can either save the remaining dressing for another time, or just make half.
While the tofu marinates, you can go onto Step 3, if you like.
To cook the tofu, heat a large fry pan or wok over medium-high heat and then add the oil. Add the tofu and cook for about 3 minutes, or until evenly browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Cooking the Noodles
- 1 pkg soba or vermicelli noodles
Cook the noodles according to the package. Once done, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
Step 4: Finishing & Assembling the Salad
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 1 orange pepper, julienned
- 1 red pepper, julienned
- 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 cup snap peas, cut on a diagonal
- 1/2 head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced on the bias
- 1/4 Thai basil, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped
- 1 cup bean sprouts (optional)
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (for garnish)
The exact vegetables and herbs used in this salad are really up to you and what you like. These colors and textures just happen to go particularly well together.
To assemble the salad, evenly divide the noodles, carrots, peppers, cucumber, snap peas — and lettuce, if using — between 4 bowls. Top each bowl with some of the green onions, herbs, sprouts (if using) and garnish with some of the peanuts. Lastly, ladle some of the dressing over each bowl and serve immediately.