This tofu soba noodle salad is seriously a tasty plate of noodle goodness. It is dressed with a fantastic dressing reminiscent of the traditional Chinese sauce using Chinese black vinegar and sesame oil. Chinese black vinegar is somewhat similar to a balsamic, but it has a darker texture with a lingering smoky sweetness. It is the type of vinegar that you would usually get with your dumplings at the Chinese restaurant. Pairing it with sesame oil, tamari, lemon, fresh chilli, and coriander really accentuate the freshness of the salad as a whole. And the best thing about this? It will only take 20 minutes to make!
Tofu Soba Noodle Salad
20 mins
1-2
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- 1/2 large chilli, thinly sliced and with seeds removed for less spice
- 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
- 2 handfuls coriander, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 2 bunches baby Bok Choy, bottom ends removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 150 g firm tofu, sliced into pieces
- 100 g soba noodles
- 1.5 tablespoons tamari or 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil (plus 1 extra tablespoon for blanching the Bok Choy and broccoli)
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- 1 Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Season tofu with some salt and pepper. Shallow pan-fry the tofu for about 2-3 minutes each side until golden brown. Set aside.
- 2 While the tofu is cooking, bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Season the boiling water with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Blanch the broccoli florets for about 15 seconds. Drain well and set aside.
- 3 Repeat the step with baby Bok Choy. Drain well and set aside.
- 4 In the same boiling water, cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Once the noodles are cooked, run them under cold water for about 20 seconds to stop the cooking process.
- 5 For the salad dressings, mix the tamari, Chinese black vinegar, sesame oil, lemon, garlic, chilli, red onion, and coriander. Pour the dressing onto the soba noodles, along with the blanched broccoli, Bok Choy, tofu and freshly sliced cucumber and mix well.
- 6 Place the Soba noodle salad onto a plate. Decorate with some more chilli, coriander, and sliced onion if desired. Serve and enjoy!
