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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Easy Weeknight Asian - Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Tofu

I'm going to post two of my favorite recipes. I often make them in the same grocery period (the two weeks between each payday...) because I can split some of the same ingredients up for another meal later in the week (hooray for Pad Thai!). This first recipe is a real quickie, only about 15 minutes from start to finish. To help cut time I buy smoked tofu and broccoli slaw mix. Around here the price slaw mix is comparable to buying all the fresh veggies and making it yourself. Anyway, this dish really isn't that spicy, even with the chili oil. It also has a nice peanutty flavor and provides a satisfying crunch.

Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Tofu:
Peanut sauce:
1/4 c. seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbs. smooth peanut butter (I use Skippy Natural. It's good stuff).
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 Tb. agave nectar
1 tsp. chili oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
A few shakes of toasted sesame oil

Stir-Fry:
1 Tb. oil
1 tsp. chili oil
1/2 bag of shredded broccoli slaw
1/2 block smoked tofu, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 (8 oz.) pkg. udon noodles

Toppings:
Green onions, chopped
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Unsalted, roasted peanuts, chopped
Toasted seasame seeds

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the udon noodles, and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, add oil and chili oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add slaw mix, tofu, and garlic and saute a few minutes or until crisp-tender. While all this is going on, make peanut sauce by whisking all the ingredients until smooth. When noodles are done, drain and rinse. Add the noodles, along with the peanut sauce, to the stir-fry. Turn off the heat and mix to coat the noodles with sauce. Divide into bowls and sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, peanuts, and sesame seeds to serve. Enjoy!

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