I very rarely cook with tofu because truth be told, I’m not the biggest fan of the stuff for the most part. I just never really loved the taste or texture; but, like with everything, I like to persevere and experiment with different cooking methods to try and find something that I liked. I was definitely pleasantly surprised with this recipe and how the tofu turned out. I fried the tofu cubes over a high heat, before coating them in the sauce to get that deliciously crispy outer layer, which I think makes such a difference to me liking the texture (as this was always one of the main issues that I had).
I think the type of tofu used is also important here and I’ve opted for a firm, smoked tofu and made sure to drain as much water as possible before cooking. This just helps achieve that firm, crispy texture and stop the tofu from breaking up whilst cooking. Tofu itself doesn’t have heaps of flavour, which does make it really versatile for using in recipes, as it won’t be too overpowering against any other ingredients or sauces.
The key and most important part of this recipe is obviously the almond satay sauce, which I am just obsessed with. If you know me at all or have been to my house, then you’ll know that I’m such a nut butter fiend. I literally have a whole shelf in my cupboard dedicated to nut butters and I use them every single day, without fail. They’re a great source of healthy fats and can literally be added to just about anything. Satay sauces are one of my favourite things to make and literally couldn’t be more simple to throw together! They’re delicious over salads, as dipping sauces, curries and so much more. Plus, making them for yourself at home, is often a much healthier alternative to the shop bought varieties and requires minimal effort.
This is the perfect plant based lunch or dinner dish and can be served hot or cold, so is ideal for Summer as well! You can mix it up and add whatever veggies you have in the fridge or need to use up. I would typically opt for courgettes, red cabbage and I also like to add in carrot or sweet potato noodles sometimes as well! Basically just cramming in as many different coloured veggies as I possibly can.
Ingredients- Serves 2
- 1 block firm, smoked tofu (225g)
- 50g flat rice noodles
- Olive oil for cooking
- 1 courgette
- 150g shredded red cabbage
- Handful pomegranate seeds
- Sesame seeds to garnish
- Heaped Tbsp Pic’s Almond Butter
- Tbsp tamari sauce
- Heaped tsp brown rice/agave syrup
- Pinch grated ginger
- Juice from 1/3 lemon
- Almond milk as needed
- Chilli Flakes- optional
Method
Drain the excess water from your tofu block by carefully squeezing and pressing it between your hands. Pat dry with a paper towel, then slice into bite sized cubes.
In a frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and bring to medium/high heat. Toss in your cubed tofu and cook these until beautifully crisp on all sides.
Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet, then drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
To make the dressing, combine the almond butter, tamari sauce, sweetener, ginger, chilli if using, lemon juice and a dash of almond milk, then mix together until smooth. Add more almond milk if needed to create a pourable consistency.
Spiralize or peel your courgette to create noodles and add these to a large mixing bowl along with the cooked noodles and red cabbage, then toss these together.
Once your tofu is cooked, remove from the heat and pour in the sauce and stir to evenly coat the tofu and allow the sauce to thicken slightly. Add extra milk if needed.
Pour the tofu & satay sauce over the noodles and gently toss everything together.
Serve garnished with some fresh pomegranate and sesame seeds and enjoy!
