Sticky, candy, textural, meaty and it simply occurs to be vegan, this bowl is gloriously glistening with eggplant that’s fried till it yields to silky strips, sponging up the sticky teriyaki sauce. Talking of sponges, that’s precisely what tofu puffs are – and so they get even juicier within the salad dressing in a single day.
I’d higher handle the eggplant within the room: that is on the sting of what a “salad” may be in line with my new definition (a minimum of just a few issues in a bowl, well-dressed). For those who’re it and pondering “Isn’t this simply chilly noodles?” The reply is … sure! I hope this provides you permission to show final evening’s leftover noodles into salad by including some recent herbs or leafy bits and dressing it decisively to maintain every part slippery.
Talking of eggplant, bear in mind it’s a kind of greens that’s finest overcooked somewhat than below. The construction ought to have fully collapsed by means of the center – the other of al dente.
Udon noodles are nifty as a result of they’re slippery and chunky – a satisfying addition for an all-veg important. You’ll discover recent udon noodles within the chilled part on the retailers, and the benefit of recent noodles is that they solely require a few minutes to prepare dinner – marvellous for a midweeker. For those who’re utilizing dried udon, prepare dinner them as you’d dried pasta – in well-salted, boiling water. These noodles profit from a rinse when you’re not dressing them straight away – that means the strands don’t stick to one another and end up clumpy. Simply drain as you’d pasta and run below chilly water from the faucet till they’ve cooled.
You’ll get the very best spring onion curls when you pop them into iced water, however slicing them chunky to fry with the remainder of the combination can be an possibility.
This salad is scrumptious chilly when you’re sweltering within the Australian warmth, or served recent out of the pan when you’re in search of a winter hotter within the northern hemisphere. It will also be made a day or so forward and introduced again to room temperature to serve – best for lunch al desko.
Sticky eggplant, tofu and noodle salad – recipe
Serves 4-6
2 eggplants, about 800g
2 tsp salt flakes
200g recent udon noodles
Impartial oil for shallow-frying (I like rice bran or grapeseed)
200g tofu puffs, torn in half
For the sticky teriyaki sauce
½ cup (125ml) mild soy sauce
½ cup (110g) brown sugar
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 tsp finely grated garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
To serve
2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced on the diagonal and soaked in chilly water
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Lower eggplant into 1cm slices lengthways, then into chunky chips about 5cm lengthy; sprinkle with salt and put aside in a colander for half-hour.
When you look ahead to the eggplant to sweat, make the teriyaki sauce. Mix the entire components in a small saucepan, carry to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Cook dinner the udon noodles in line with packet directions and toss with a few tablespoons of the nice and cozy sauce. Squeeze the eggplant by means of the colander and pat dry with paper towel.
Warmth 1cm of impartial oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan till shimmering, then prepare dinner the eggplant in batches till golden (be careful – it’d spit just a little) for about six minutes, including extra oil if wanted. As soon as the entire eggplant is cooked, use the residual oil within the pan to offer the torn tofu puffs a brand new lease on life, tossing for a minute or two to show them barely extra golden.
Switch a lot of the frying oil out of the pan right into a heatproof bowl, leaving a few tablespoons remaining. Crank the warmth to medium, and when the oil is shimmering as soon as extra, toss the tofu puffs and cooked eggplant again into the pan together with the sauce, scorching every part collectively for a minute or so to coat and turn out to be shiny.
When able to serve, prepare the udon on a platter and tumble the eggplant and tofu puffs with the sauce over the noodles. For the ultimate bedazzle, sprinkle with drained and spun spring onions curls and toasted sesame seeds.
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