It’s great to try new vegetarian ideas. The peanut sauce paired with the tofu in this Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles with Tofu and Vegetables recipe is bold, flavourful and spicy. If your kids aren’t fans of spicy food, omit the chilli oil from the sauce. If for some reason you aren’t in the mood for tofu, feel free to substitute extra vegetables for the tofu.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 50 ml soy sauce
• 125 ml peanut butter
• 15 g chopped coriander, plus extra for garnish
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 50 ml hot water
• 2 tablespoons chilli oil or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons sherry
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 250 ml peanut or canola oil
• 300 g soba noodles
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, sliced thin
• 300 g sliced mushrooms
• 300 g mangetout or sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 1 bunch scallions, bias cut, white parts separated from green parts
• 225 g fresh bean sprouts

Method

Combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, coriander, garlic, hot water, chilli oil, sherry and sugar in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. The sauce should be about the consistency of ketchup. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed.

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok until it’s smoking. Add half the tofu to the oil, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking. Continue frying for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tofu is golden. Remove the tofu with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu until it’s all cooked and drained.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok or large frying pan. On a high heat, stir-fry the bell pepper for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the peas and white parts of the green onions. Stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Stir in the scallions and bean sprouts. Remove the wok from the heat.

Toss the tofu in about 125 ml of the peanut sauce. In a large serving bowl, mix the tofu, cooked soba noodles, vegetables and half the peanut sauce. Add more sauce as needed to coat all the noodles and vegetables. Garnish with coriander.

You can find these recipes and more family favourites on our blog, www.dinnerdujour.org.

Have you tried this recipe? What did you think?

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