Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad with Curry Lemongrass Tofu

Ever since I made a version of a Vietnamese Noodle Salad I have been taken with this dish and all its variations. This time I decided to try it with sauteed tofu in a curry lemongrass sauce.  The sauce was sweet and spicy and tasted great mixed into the rice noodles.  My favorite part about Vietnamese food is all the tasty condiments that go along with the dishes.  I chose sliced carrots, persian cucumbers and bean sprouts for the veggie garnishes and mint leaves, basil, green onion, and cilantro for the herb garnishes.  All of these condiments came together really well.  The last garnishes included a tablespoon of spicy Sambal Oelek I made the night before and a few tablespoons of crushed and toasted peanuts–two delicious final touches!

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad with Curry Lemongrass Tofu
Adapted from Season with Spice
(makes 2 servings)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

• 2-3 servings rice stick noodles
• 1 block (12 oz.) firm tofu, patted dry and sliced in small 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 batch curry lemongrass sauce (recipe below)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
• 2 handfuls thai basil, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 handfuls mint leaves
• 2-3 carrots, chopped into long thin sticks
• 2 persian cucumbers, chopped into long thin sticks
• 2 handfuls bean sprouts
• 2 tbsp peanuts, crushed and toasted
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Sambal Oelek, for garnish

Directions:

1. Add a few tablespoons of the lemongrass sauce onto the tofu to coat well.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan and add the tofu and cook on medium high for about 6-7 minutes, turning over in the middle of cooking.
3. Cook the rice noodles as directed on the package. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water
4. Toss the noodles in the rest of the lemongrass sauce and drizzle with sesame oil.
5. In bowls, top the noodles with the tofu and garnish with basil, cilantro, green onion, carrots, cucumbers, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, and mint leaves.

Curried Lemongrass Sauce
(makes about 1 cup)

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 inch knob ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp lemongrass paste
• 1-2 thai red chilies, boiled and minced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 6 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp palm sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce, to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all together.