Asian Style Noodle Salad with Crispy Tofu

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1-350 g block of extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1 ¼ inch (3 cm) cubes

Salad

1/2 lb whole-grain linguine (250 g)
1/2 cup chunky-style light peanut butter (125 mL)
1 Tbsp canola oil (15 mL)
2 Tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce (30 mL)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated (15 mL)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (0.5 mL)
2 garlic cloves, crushed (2)
1/4- 1/2 cup sodium reduced chicken broth, warmed (60-125 mL)
1 medium pepper, diced into 1 cm pieces (1)
3 green onions or scallions, sliced thinly on diagonal (3)
2 Tbsp sesame seeds for garnish (30 mL)

Method

Crispy Tofu

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Transfer tofu into a large zipper bag.
In a small bowl, whisk together canola oil, cornstarch and salt. Pour into freezer bag and gently jostle the bag gently to evenly coat tofu.
Transfer tofu onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown. Cool slightly.

Salad

To prepare noodles, bring 2 litres of water to a boil in a large pot set over high heat. Stir in noodles and cook until al dente – slightly firm to the bite.
Drain the noodles in a colander under cold running water. Transfer the noodles to a medium-sized bowl and reserve until ready to use.
To make sauce: Combine peanut butter and canola oil, blend well. Whisk in the soy sauce, ginger, cayenne pepper, garlic and stock. Pour sauce over noodles and toss well.
To serve salad, add your noodles to a serving dish first. Lay the the diced red pepper and crispy tofu on top of the noodles. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Tips

Toasted sesame seeds are easy to make and add a delicious, nutty flavour. To toast seeds stovetop, use a wide frying pan over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove the seeds when they darken and become fragrant; store in a covered jar at room temperature.

Adding fresh ingredients, such as ginger and garlic, helps add flavour without adding sodium.