Sesame Crusted Tofu with Soba Noodles

Lately I have started reading a couple of books by Dr. Andrew Weil. Of course my first action on receiving these books on loan from a friend was to flip to the back and check out the recipes. That's the important part, right?!

There's some pretty good looking stuff back there, you'll probably be seeing more of his recipes on my blog. It inspired me to go to his website, where I found lots more good ideas. I signed up for the weekly recipe email, which I have been enjoying. One of the recipes I found, and had to try, was sesame crusted tofu with soba noodles.

Sesame crusted tofu with soba noodles

Dressing:

2 Tbsp rice wine or sake

1 1/2 Tbsp black bean sauce

1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp water

Tofu and soba:

1 lb. extra-firm tofu pressed 30 minutes to remove water

1/4 cup rice wine or sake (I used vermouth with a bit of seasoned rice vinegar)

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

8 oz. dried soba noodles

4 cups trimmed watercress

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

2 Tbsp chinese fermented black beans, rinsed (0ptional) I didn't use any

3 Tbsp sesame seeds

To make dressing:

In a small bowl combine all ingredients and stir well, until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

To make tofu and soba:

Cut each piece of pressed tofu in half corsswise, then lengthwise, for a total of 8 pieces the size of playing cards.

In a baking dish just large enough to hold all tofu in a single layer, combine rice wine, soy sauce and 1 tsp sesame oil. Add tofu, cover and marinade in fridge 30 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water cook noodles until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Place in a large bowl. Remove tofu from marinade and pat dry. Mix any excess marinade with the dressing, and pour over noodles, along with watercress, scallions and black beans. Toss to combine. Set aside.

Spread sesame seeds on a small plate evenly and dip one side of tofu in to coat. In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 tsp sesame oil over medium heat. Cook tofu sesame side down until golden, about 1 minute, flip and cook until done, 1-2 minutes.

Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

To go with this meal I made some steamed broccoli. Get out a sauce pan with a lid, add about one cup of water, and put in your steamer basket. I trimmed it all up into bite-sized pieces, chopped up one large clove of garlic and tossed it into the basket, put in a shake of red pepper flakes and turned it on. Once it starts steaming let it go about 5 minutes, until broccoli is bright green and still a bit crisp. DO NOT let it get all mushy and yellowed/greyish, cuz that's just gross! (not to mention you won't get as many nutrients from it!)

This was a pretty darn tasty meal! Looked pretty good too!

I was licking my plate! I had never had soba noodles before, and found them a great base for a light sauce, with a fine texture similar to white pasta. VERY good! The tofu was very flavorful this way too, and met with great family approval. This one will be added to my "keep"pile!