Ingredients:
serves 4
4 garlic gloves minced
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes (or add those later if you think it will be too spicy for the little ones or sissies that don't like spicy food)
3 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
dash of sesame oil
8 oz buckwheat soba noodles
2 tbsp coconut oil
10 oz package of extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry then
2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers seeds removed and cut into thin strips (I think they taste better than the green ones)
2 zucchini cut into match sticks or 2 bunches of brocolini (trimmed and then sliced in half lengthwise and then potentially in half again lengthwise)
2 handfuls of baby bok choy or pok choi
1 cup snow peas halved with a diagonal edge (optional)
black sesame or toasted slivered almonds to garnish
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tbsp of salt. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Meanwhile sandwich the block of tofu between two clean kitchen towels and weight them with a bowl filled with rice, pie weights or beans. This will remove the excess water from the tofu and help create a nice crisp crust. Next slice your veggies and set them aside. Now, cube the tofu 3/4 inch thick by 2 inches wide. Sprinkle each piece with a little piece of salt. Add 2 tbsp of oil to the wok and heat until shimmering but not quite smoking. Cook on medium high heat until a medium brown crust has developed and the tofu releases easily from the wok. Flip and repeat. The second side will cook faster than the first. Set aside and clean and dry wok. Add remaining oil and cook your veggies until just tender. Add a few pinches of salt and stir continuously to ensure even cooking. Add your noodles to the water you previously set to boil, stir, and cook per the package instructions. Drain, rinse and then add them to the veggies along with your sauce. Stir continuously until the mixture is warm throughout. Gently fold in the tofu and when the tofu is warmed as well remove from heat and add to a serving dish. Finish with black sesame seeds or crushed toasted almonds.
Note: For an even healthier version you can marinate the tofu with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/8 cup mirin, 1 tbsp of honey, 2 dashes of fish sauce and two dashes of sesame oil. Then bake them coasted with cooking spray on a cookie sheet equipped with a wire rack on 400 until light golden brown flip once during the cooking time.
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