Need a quick dinner? These chilli tahini noodles are packed with nine different plants and you’ll have them on the table in under 20 minutes. With crispy, pan-fried tofu for protein, a smooth tahini, maple dressing for maximum flavour and lots of quick-cook veggies, this is sure to be your new go-to midweek supper.
Serves: 2
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 block firm tofu, (about 280g / 10 oz) drained and cut into 1cm / ½″ cubes
2 servings of udon noodles (about 150g / 5.3 oz)
Small chunk of ginger, (about 20g / 0.7 oz), julienned/finely chopped
Handful of tenderstem broccoli, (about 100g / 3.5 oz; or use ½ head broccoli), cut into bite-sized pieces
2 handfuls of kale, (about 100g / 3.5 oz), roughly sliced
1-2 carrots, (about 200g / 7 oz), julienned or coarsely grated
½ bunch spring onions, (about 50g / 1.8 oz), thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds, (optional), to garnish, optional)
½ lime, juiced (to garnish, optional)
For the tahini chilli tahini sauce
4 tablespoons tahini
4 tablespoons tamari (+ extra to garnish)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chilli oil
Method
Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook for 10 minutes, turning every so often, until golden. Remove from the pan to a plate, season with a splash of tamari and set aside.
Meanwhile, add the noodles to a saucepan of salted boiling water. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and refresh under cold water, until cool to touch.
To make the sauce, whisk together the tahini, tamari, maple syrup, brown rice vinegar, chilli oil and 1–2 tablespoons of water (depending on how thick the tahini is) in a small bowl. It should be the consistency of single cream.
Return the frying pan to high heat (don’t worry about cleaning it), add the ginger, broccoli, kale and carrots; cook for 5 minutes, until just tender.
Stir in the cooked noodles, sauce, spring onions and tofu. To serve, divide the noodles between bowls, scatter over the sesame seeds (if using) and serve with extra tamari (to taste) and a squeeze of lime (if using).
TIP: If you don’t have any tofu, these noodles are just as delicious with peas or edamame beans.
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