Noodle, Avocado and Tofu Salad

Happy New Year to you all. Thank Goodness Christmas is over and the world can get back to normality. Although is there such a thing when the world is still in turmoil?

If you are in the southern hemisphere, no doubt you are experiencing some hot, wild weather and unfortunately with that comes savage bush fires. And yes they have been very savage this year. One can never imagine the devastation, the loss of your entire home and contents and your community all but gone. It is very saddening.

On the opposite side of the world, there is war, famine and floods.  Having returned from holiday recently to find part of my house flooded and ceilings destroyed, I feel lucky that it was only minor damage compared to that in UK.

While I wait for the insurance company to work out compensation to replace the damage to some walls and carpets, I thought it wise to get back into the kitchen to try and maintain some sanity to my world.

It's hot, it's humid and it's summer! I want something yummy but I don't want to have my house warmed up with the oven on.

So tonight I've made a Japanese inspired salad with noodles, tofu and avocado. There's some cooking but it's minor and that will help maintain a cool house and a cool head.

NOODLES AVOCADO AND TOFU SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 packet Japanese style marinated tofu (Teriyaki) sliced thinly

1 large avocado diced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

200g noodles - either soba noodles or Singapore noodles

3 tablespoons pickled ginger chopped

1/2 bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped

Lebanese cucumber, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons Mirrin (Japanese cooking wine)

3 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari

Big squeeze of lemon juice

3 spring onions, sliced thinly

100g natural cashew nuts lightly toasted and roughly chopped

100g baby spinach leaves

100g snow peas,  trimmed

Make the dressing first.

In a small bowl add Mirrin, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, pinch caster sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar and set aside.

Cook noodles in a large pan of salted water, according to packet instruction (depending on which noodles you use). Once cooked rinse under cold water and drain. Immediately toss with remaining sesame oil. The noodles need to be cooled before using in salad.

Steam snow peas until tender, refresh under cold water and cool.

Dice avocado and liberally coat in lemon juice to prevent browning

In a bowl mix, noodles, tofu, cucumber, snow peas, ginger, spinach and coriander. Pour the dressing over and mix thoroughly. 

Top the dish with diced avocado, finely sliced spring onions and cashew nuts.

I love this dish because it is so easy to put together yet it has all the flavour of Japan, highly nutritious and quite low in calories.

Clear Vegetable Broth with Soba Noodles and Chilli Tofu

After two weeks of utter stinking hot temperatures and raging bush fires, the weather plunged into the depths of what can only be described as an autumnal week. Rain, fog and high winds.

Native animals have faced the devastation of their environment and food sources with local fires and now they are threatened with flood waters. What ever next? Eucalyptus trees are losing their bark at an alarming rates shredding into strips as the wind picks it up and hurtles it into the streets and on to neighbouring roof tops.

Although there is some compensation; the vegetable patch is enjoying the rain, we might actually get some tomatoes this year now and just yesterday I noticed that the beetroot was showing signs of recovery.

This had led me into thinking that it might be a gentle soup kind of day. Unable to get out and finish the weeding, I decided the pantry needed its annual clean out and right at the back I found two packets of Soba Noodles.

I had planned on making a Green Tofu Curry and had bought Tofu already, but it was time for something a little different.

This soup can be made in stages and when you have a little time in the kitchen you could make the broth/soup a day or couple of days before putting it all together. It makes enough for 4 or 6 people, is easy to adapt for more  or less people and any left over stock can be kept in the freezer for another day.

As you can see I don't worry about getting all the tofu the same size. I just dice it up quickly and throw it in the wok. It all tastes the same anyway.

Clear Vegetable Broth with Soba Noodle and Chilli Tofu 

For 4 people you will need:

Broth

Soba noodles

oil

4 cups of water

1 large carrot, very finely sliced

1 onion, very finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, very finely diced

2 sticks of celery, finely sliced

Salt and pepper

3 spring onions very finely sliced

1 small leek, very finely sliced

Soy Sauce - I use Tamari

a few handfuls of Kale, very finely sliced

1 small tin bamboo shoots

1 lime or lemon

A small bunch of parsley, fresh thyme and bay leaves, tied together with string

Tofu

oil

350g Firm Tofu

pinch chilli flakes

salt and pepper

zest of a lemon or lime

There are two ways to cook the tofu. Either baked in the oven or in a wok. I prefer to use the wok but it does mean that you need to use a little more oil. I think the tofu is crispier when it is cooked in the wok. However, it is your choice. The preparation is the same.

Take the firm tofu and dry it with paper towel. Cut it into cubes and sprinkle liberally with salt, chilli flakes and the zest of the lime or lemon. Using your hands gently rub the marinade into the tofu and set aside for about one hour.

To make the broth, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and on a very low heat cook the garlic and onion until the edge start to turn brown. This will take about 8 minutes. Add celery, carrot and leek and mix this around for a few minutes until they start to caramelise. Then add 4 cups of water, salt and pepper and the herb bundle.

Bring to the boil, lower the heat to a very low simmer and cook for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool. Strain out the vegetables, retaining about half of the carrots.

If you wish to bake the tofu,  place on a baking tray, spray with oil and place in a hot oven 190 - 200 degrees/ 350 - 400 until it starts to brown. Turn over and continue to bake. This will all take around 30 - 40 minutes. Or if you have decided to fry using a wok, add oil and cook in batches until brown and crunchy.

Boil a large pan of water, add a pinch of salt and add the soba noodles. Bring back to the boil then simmer for  around 15 minutes , but check the label for cooking times. While these are cooking, heat up your broth, adding the bamboo shoots.

To assemble;

Once the noodles are cooked, add a small quantity to each serving bowl. Divide the tofu equally into each bowl. Divide the kale between bowls and then using a ladle, add broth to each bowl. Squeeze with lime or lemon juice, a teaspoon of soy sauce and a sprinkling of spring onions. Serve.

You may wish to adjust the seasonings with additional salt and adding a wedge of lime or lemon.

This is so heartwarming, low calorie, high protein and so full of goodness it will put a rosy glow on your cheeks and a smile on your face.