From Fine Cooking’s “Make It Tonight” series, this Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles with Tofu Asian dish is not only super simple, but tastes great too! Seared tofu is the perfect vehicle to carry the sweet, sour, and savory flavors of this recipe. Spot on for vegetarians, those adhering to “Meatless Monday,” or just trying to cut back on their meat consumption.
Whenever possible we try to up the veggie quotient, although the only increase I made here was the amount of carrot (OK, and garlic). However incorporating fresh, sliced shiitake mushrooms would make a nice addition. That’s our plan for the next time we make this, which I’m sure will be in the near future because we LOVED the dish!
Instead of a pound of noodles, we had an open package of Thai rice noodles weighing in at 8 ounces. We felt that the ratio of noodle to veggie was a better proportion using only half the amount.
Speaking of noodles, you could buy a cooked brand (look for them next to the tofu) to save a step; but if not, use uncooked and prepare them according to package directions. With only two of us dining, we had leftovers the next day for lunch. Alas, we both agreed, it wasn’t quite as good as when it’s first made.
And how about a little Asian side salad of Cucumber, Basil and Peanut? It made a unique pairing for the stir-fry.
Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles with Tofu
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 1-1/2 Tbs. Sriracha; more for serving
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbs. vegetable or peanut oil
- 12 to 14 oz. extra-firm or pressed tofu, patted dry and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 1 lb. cooked Asian-style noodles, such as udon or yakisoba
- 6 medium scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths, white and dark green parts separated
- 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
Directions
- Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, Sriracha, garlic, and 2 Tbs. water in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a 14-inch wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot.
- Add the tofu, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add another 1 Tbs. oil to the pan, and then add the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and well browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the tofu.
- Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, the cooked noodles, and the scallion whites to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are browned in spots and the scallions are tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir the sauce and then carefully pour it over the noodles; the mixture will steam. Toss well to coat and cook, stirring, until the sauce is reduced to a sticky glaze, about 2 minutes.
- Return the tofu and carrots to the wok. Add the cabbage and the scallion greens and toss well.
- Serve with lime wedges and additional Sriracha if desired.
Recipe by Matthew Card from Fine Cooking
Accounting for Taste 
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