All The Delicious😋Flavors In The World 🌎
This recipe for Rice Noodle Salad with Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce is a combination of more of my favorite flavors. Citrus, spices, sesame oil and peanut butter make a most delicious dressing tossed with tons of crispy, fresh vegetables with just enough noodles to make anyone happy. This is a great recipe to make up for the week ahead too. Try this flavor-filled Rice Noodle Salad with Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce and let me know what you think!
I don’t know what’s come over me recently, but it seems I am addicted to Asian flavors. More so than usual, I just can’t get enough! It’s really started to effect my cooking and I’m not sorry about that one little bit.
Whether you like your salads vegetarian or with a little protein, this is such a versatile recipe. I really love crispy tofu but I know some really don’t love it. My husband is one of the no-thank-you-to-tofu kinda peeps 🤭. In this version, I am serving mine with a crispy baked tofu and tossing it up with a little shredded chicken for him. This goes great with shrimp 🍤 too.
Tofu ❤️
I seriously love tofu, I always have. If you’re not giving it a try, you may be missing out on something sensational! Crispy tofu is one of my favorite things in the world. The problem is, that in order to make it taste really good, it’s usually fried. Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to fry it. You can bake it. The outsides will be crispy and delicious and the insides, creamy and soft. You don’t need to season it too much because it will bask in the glory of the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce you’re going to pour over it. Here’s the easy to bake method
Easy How-To Bake Tofu 🥢
Preheat your oven to 400°
Using 1 block (16 ounces) of extra firm tofu, open the package and drain the liquid, push on the tofu with your hands to release as much of the liquid as you can. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise, so that you have 3 even layers. Stack the layers on top of each other and slice through 3 times again, then cut into even cubes.
Put the tofu onto layers of paper towels or clean tea cloths. Top with another layer of towels or cloths and top with a baking sheet. Put some heavy items on top to way the tofu down. You want to reduce the moisture content by as much as possible. Let them drain for 30 minutes minimum.
Into a large bowl, add the tofu and sprinkle with the cornstarch and lightly mix to cover.
Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet covered in parchment. Spray the tofu generously all over with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes. Bake until the tops and edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven, turn the cubes over and bake another 15 minutes, until golden and the sides are browned and crispy.
Note that crispy tofu is best eaten the day it’s made. You can substitute tofu with shredded chicken breast or grilled or sauted shrimp as well.
For the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce
Peel the ginger and mince. Peel and roughly chop 3 cloves of garlic.
Into the bowl of your food processor or high powered blender, add the garlic and ginger with 1/4 cup each of natural peanut butter and lime juice along with all the lime zest and 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice. Add 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce and 3 tablespoon honey and 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil. Add 1 teaspoon of mild Thai chili sauce. I find mine in the international section of my grocery store. If you can’t find it, you can use sriracha sauce. Start with a 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha and taste as you go.
Set the sauce aside and make the salad.
For the Rice Noodle Salad
Cook the noodles according the to package directions. Drain and rinse will with cold water to stop the cooking process. Roughly chop the noodles, set aside. You can use any type of noodles you like in this salad. I’m using east to prepare, very thin rice noodles this time.
Clean, cut and slice the vegetables thinly. I use 1/2 green cabbage, 1/4 purple cabbage, 1 small red bell pepper, 2 bunches of green onions, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leave some out for garnish), a handful of radishes, a couple carrots and 2 cups of fresh beansprouts, just washed and tossed into the salad.
Put the veggies into a large bowl. Top with the cooked rice noodles then toss with the dressing. Top with the tofu or the chicken or the shrimp (or all three!). Garnish with cilantro leaves and roasted peanuts.
Enjoy!
Rice Noodle Salad with Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
For the Spicy Citrus Peanut Sauce
- 1 inch ginger, peeled (about 1 tablespoon minced)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice plus the zest
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon mild Thai chili sauce or 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (or to taste)
For the Noodle Salad
- 6 ounces rice noodles (any width you prefer)
- 1/2 small green cabbage, shredded
- 1/4 purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 small red bell pepper (remove veins and seeds)
- 2 bunches green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leave some for garnish)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes
- 1-2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
For the Crispy Baked Tofu
- 16 ounces extra-firm, tofu
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Cooking Spray (olive oil or vegetable oil)
Optional: Shredded chicken, shrimp
Garnish: Roasted chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro leaves
Instructions
For the Crispy Baked Tofu
- Preheat your oven to 400°
- Using 1 block of extra firm tofu, open the package and drain the liquid, push on the tofu with your hands to release as much of the liquid as you can.
- Slice the tofu into thirds legthwise, so that you have 3 even layers. Stack the layers on top of each other and slice through 3 times again, then cut into even cubes.
- Put the tofu onto layers of paper towels or clean tea cloths. Top with another layer of towels or cloths and top with a baking sheet. Put some heavy items on top to way the tofu down. You want to reduce the moisture content by as much as possible. Let the tofu dry for at least 30 minutes.
- Into a large bowl, add the tofu with the cornstarch and toss gently to coat.
- Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet covered in parchment.
- Spray generously with cooking spray.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until the tops and edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, turn the cubes over, spray with cooking spray again and bake another 15 minutes, until golden and the sides are browned and crispy.
For the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce
- Peel the ginger and finely chop.
- Peel and roughly chop 3 cloves of garlic.
- Into the bowl of your food processor or high powered blender, add the garlic and ginger with the zest of 1 lime and 1/4 cup each of natural peanut butter and lime juice and 1/2 cup orange juice.
- Add 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce 3 tablespoon honey and 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil.
- Add 1 teaspoon of mild Thai chili sauce (or you can substitute with sriracha sauce. Start with a 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha and taste as you go.
- Set the sauce aside and make the salad.
For the Rice Noodle Salad
- Cook the noodles according the to package directions.
- Drain and rinse will with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Roughly chop the noodles then set aside.
- Clean, cut and slice the vegetables thinly.
- Add 2 cups of fresh beansprouts.
- Put all the prepared vegetables into a large bowl.
- Top with the cooked rice noodles then toss with the dressing.
- Top with the tofu or the chicken or the shrimp (or all three!).
Garnish with cilantro leaves and roasted peanuts.
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
