Gingered Tofu Noodles

This is one of those really tasty dishes that work well for vegetarians – and no dairy involved either. I tend to use rice noodles (not egg noodles), so the colour is paler.

Ingredients >   2 Tbsp rice wine >   2 tsp cornflour >   1 packet of firm tofu, cut into cubes >   175 – 200 gm egg (or rice) noodles >   2 Tbsp oil (I use olive) >   1 medium onion, thinly sliced or chopped >   3 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced >   5 Tbsp frozen peas >   125 gm fresh cashew nuts, dry roasted in a small frying pan and then chopped. (You can put them in a bag and bash them with a rolling pin.) Sauce >   100 ml vegetable stock >   2 Tbsp soy sauce >   1 Tbsp (about ½ lemon) freshly squeezed lemon juice >   1 Tbsp sesame oil >   2 tsp soft brown sugar

Steps 1.  Put the rice wine and cornflour into a bowl and mix well. Add the tofu cubes to the bowl, stir well and set aside to marinate. 2.  Prepare the remaining ingredients and the sauce. 3.  Prepare the noodles, according to the instructions on the packet; drain and shake dry. 4.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the onions and ginger and fry until soft and golden. 5.  If necessary, add a little bit more of oil. Add the tofu, and stir-fry until golden all around. 6.  Add the peas and fry for about 2-3 minutes, until the peas are just cooked. 7.  Add the drained noodles and the sauce, stir well and heat through thoroughly. 8.  Add the cashew nuts and stir. This has its own built-in carbohydrate. Serves 3 to 4

Update: I bought some Togarashi seasoning, and sprinkled some over the tofu when frying it. The spice simply lifts the dish into another plane.