Vietnamese Noodle Salad
Servings: 2 -4
Ingredients
For the Grilled Tofu
- 1 package of tofu 14 oz
- ½ cup finely chopped lemon grass 3 stalks
- 1 medium shallot chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
- ¼ cup oil
For the Salad
- 8 oz. vermicelli noodles
- 1 medium red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 english cucumber halved and sliced
- 1 handful thai basil or regular basil
- 1 handful cilantro
- 1 handful fresh mint
- 1 handful of bean sprouts optional
- 1-2 carrots peeled and cut into strips
- peanuts for topping if desired
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 small red chili medium spicy cut into thin slices (rings)
Instructions
For the tofu marinade
- Cut white part of lemon grass stalks into small pieces and place into a food processor (or blender) and pulse. Add salt, sugar, shallot, and Chinese Five Star spice (available in larger grocery stores or Asian specialty stores) and continue to pulse into a thick “paste” like consistency. Place paste into a large bowl and add oil. Stir until fully combined. Cut tofu into long strips. Rub marinade paste on all sides of the tofu and let sit in bowl for 30 min.
For the Salad
- While tofu is marinating, cook vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Rinse and drain when fully cooked. Cut red pepper into thin strips. Cut cucumber in halves and then slice into bite size pieces (forming half moons). Cut carrot(s) into strips (or julienne slices) . Set aside.
For the Grilled Tofu
- Heat grill pan or grill to medium. Cook marinated tofu until grill marks are visible and tofu is cooked through ( approx. 4-5 min. each side) . Let cool and slice into bite size pieces.
For the dressing
- While the tofu is cooking, combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Assembly
- Add noodles, veggies( carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, bean sprouts), herbs (cilantro, basil, mint) and tofu to a salad bowl. Top with peanuts if desired. Spoon dressing over salad.