Ducking and weaving like kites on a string, these silken, multi-hued dragons dove into the crowd, playfully waggled their tails, and then disappeared to pop up somewhere else, on another street. We temporarily forgot our by now gnawing hunger and followed the throng of happy people, going wherever it was they were going. We ended up in a fantastic restaurant, somehow bagging a spot despite it being the most crowded restaurant I had ever been in. I think rules may have been broken. Codes contravened. But it was fantastic. We felt the huge excitement of families getting together, telling stories, slurping noodles, pulling sticky lacquered flesh from fragile bones; seeing frocked and besuited children running around, high on unnaturally-coloured sweets.
You couldn’t hear yourself think. The steamed up windows and clacking of many dozens of chopsticks said it all. Grey and low though the sky might have been, the colours, sounds and smells of this tiny tangle of London streets made it a February day to remember. And you can’t often say that about February, can you?
My recipe is also a lot less spicy and oily than more traditional ones. Loads more vegetables too. If you want to ramp up the fire, add chilli oil and lay on the Sichuan pepper for an electric shock treatment to your nose and tongue.
That can’t be a bad proposition on a February evening, can it? Beats going to a shockingly bad movie that shall remain nameless… 😉
This post is sponsored by Cauldron Foods, makers of organic tofu. Check their Ultimate Guide To Streetfood for recipes and tips on global vegetarian food around the world.
PS >> You still have time to win a copy of Gut Gastronomy (UK residents only). See here for rules and how to enter.
Spicy Tofu and Vegetable Dan Dan Noodles
A soupy, slurpy mix of spiralised vegetable noodles, wheat or rice noodles, fragrant aromatics and heart-healthy tofu and cashews. Use all vegetable noodles if you like. Amounts of everything in this western China-style recipe are pretty flexible so go with what you have – and feel free to play with the spicing. You can even add a dollop of creamy peanut butter or cashew butter to the broth – a slightly Taiwanese twist.
This looks a bit ingredient-heavy but it is simple and straightforward. I like to freeze my tofu, defrost it overnight in the fridge, and then squeeze out all of the liquid. Freezing changes the texture of the tofu – makes it very sponge-like (it actually looks like a sponge too) and better able to suck up all of the flavours. But usually I forget to do this…
150g plain organic tofu, pressed of liquid then crumbled (see image)
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds, crushed
2 tsp five-spice powder
1 tsp toased Sichuan peppercorns, crushed (optional)
1 ‘nest’ of wholewheat or brown rice noodles
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra for serving if liked
600ml light vegetable stock or water
1 tsp rice vinegar or black Chinese vinegar (more to taste)
2 tsp tamari/soy sauce/coconut aminos (more to taste)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp coconut oil or light rapeseed oil, divided use
2 garlic cloves, minced or sliced
3 spring onions/small scallions, sliced
1 red chilli, sliced (optional)
Handful of raw cashews
1 ‘thumb’ of gingerroot, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp (+) raw sugar
1 small-medium carrot
1 small courgette/zucchini or 6” piece of mooli
100g pak choi, choi sum or broccoli, sliced (I used baby pak choi)
1/3 red pepper, cored and sliced
Leaf coriander, fermented chilli soy beans or sweet fermented soy beans – to garnish, optional
1. Mix the crumbled tofu with the fennel seeds, five-spice powder and Sichuan pepper (if using). Set aside.
2. Cook the noodles in the stock or water. Drain the noodles and keep the liquid. Dress the noodles with the sesame oil and set aside, covered. Pour the water/stock back in the pan. Add the rice vinegar and tamari sauce to the liquid. Taste and adjust to your liking; keep hot.
3. In a small wok or a frying pan, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add the garlic, spring onions, cashews and ginger. Stir-fry until the garlic and onion are softened, then add a good pinch of sugar – this helps to balance the flavours but won’t make things sweet. You can add more later if you like. Turn up the heat, make a well in the centre of the pan and add a dash more oil (1 tsp); add the crumbled tofu and toss around in all of the ingredients. Let the tofu heat through and the cashews start browning. Turn off the heat and cover.
4. Spiralise or julienne the carrot and courgette. Set aside.
5. Pop some warm sesame oil noodles into each bowl; ladle over the broth – adding the pak choi and red pepper too. Add in the delicate whisps of carrot and courgette and top with the tofu-cashew vegetables. Add on coriander and extra seasoning like fermented chilli soy beans or even sweet chilli sauce. Serve immediately.
* Note: To make the tofu suitable for crumbling and not turning to mush, fold the tofu in a thick tea towel – union linen is very good – and top with a heavy, but not too heavy, pan (you don’t want the tofu to collapse, just be pressed). Leave for half an hour, then crumble, cube or slice – according to your recipe. The ‘freeze, defrost and press ‘method is even better but requires more forward planning. Something I don’t very often do.
Similar On Food To Glow:
Asian Broth with Awesome Add Ins (Pho)
Butternut Squash and Tofu Laksa
Coconut and Lemongrass Tofu Soup
Crispy and Sticky Black Pepper Tofu
Fragrant Tofu Thai Green Curry
Tofu and Aubergine Lime-Basil Stir Fry
Recipes From Others:
Asian {Veggie} Noodle Salad – The Muffin Myth >> Katie and I are often on the same wavelength. She published this at the same time as I did my own!
How To Make A Bowl Of Noodles – Fuchsia Dunlop (expert on Sichuan cookery), in The Guardian
Gochujang Spiced Dumplings with Roasted Winter Squash and Mushroom – Franglais Kitchen
Steamy Kitchen has tons of links to her own and others’ recipes – mostly meaty or seafood, but some veggie ones too
One Green Planet has loads of vegan Chinese New Year links
**This week I am linking up to A Mummy Too for Emily’s Recipe of the Week round-up; to No Croutons Required, co-hosted by Lisa (Lisa’s Kitchen) and Jac (Tinned Tomatoes); and to Extra Veg (founders: Helen/Fuss Free Flavours and Michelle/Utterly Scrummy) hosted this month by Kerry. Why not enter your recipe, or look for some cooking inspiration?**
