Continuing my Salad Tour Series, I put a fusion-style Asian spin on this salad recipe: my Asian Noodle Salad with Sticky Ginger Tofu Cubes. This recipe is swift to prepare and quite a filling bowl of yumminess.
Bowl-ing for Nutrients. This salad is packed with protein from the tofu and edamame. Plus it’s loaded with antioxidants from the spinach greens and fresh cilantro. And don’t forget the nice handful of sliced shiitake mushrooms and Maifun rice noodles – they are lots of fun! I’ve even thrown in a creamy-sweet wasabi dressing recipe. Add more wasabi and fresh ginger to everything for an extra spicy kick to the flavors. I am in love with this light, cool noodle salad recipe. Try it!…
Why is it Sticky Tofu?The Sticky Ginger Tofu Cubes are a lot of fun. I add in agave syrup (just a bit), and a nice drizzle of the leftover mandarin orange juice from the can (which contains sweet fruit juice and sugar). Then I add in some grated ginger during the tofu saute. The sugar from the agave and mandarin juice caramalizes the ginger and the edges of the tofu and makes a sticky sweet crust for the tofu cubes.
Sticky Ginger Tofu:
Maifun Noodles:
Asian Noodle Salad with Sticky Ginger Tofu Cubes
Cold Maifun Noodle Salad
1/2 box (4 oz.) Maifun Rice Noodles
*I used Annie Chun’s brand
1 packet miso soup mix
1/4 cup liquid aminos “soy sauce”
OR 2 Tbsp traditional soy sauce
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 cups edamame beans, frozen (heat in microwave or stove top)
3/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup raw or roasted cashews
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp chili oil
black pepper
optional: 1 lime juiced and tossed with noodles
Sticky Ginger Tofu
12 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed
1 tsp EVOO
1/4 cup liquid aminos
OR 2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp agave syrup
1/4 cup mandarin oranges canned juice
1 tsp chili oil
Other
4 cups spinach
wasabi rice crackers
wasabi-Vegenaise dressing
1 can mandarin oranges, drained (save the juice for tofu)
Wasabi Dressing
2 parts Vegenaise
1 part agave syrup
1 part soy sauce
1 part mandarin juice
1/2 part wasabi powder (more wasabi, more heat)
grated ginger – a touch
pepper
grated carrot, opt’l
Directions:
1. First prepare the noodle. Add your miso soup packet and liquid aminos/soy sauce to 3-4 cups of boiling water. Add noodles. Cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and cover. Cook an additional 1 minute.
3. Drain noodles and shrooms. Rinse under ice cold water or dunk strainer in ice bath. Pat and air toss noodles ad dry as you can get.
4. Transfer noodles and shrooms to large bowl. Add chili oil and a fresh splash of soy sauce or liquid aminos.
5. To noodle bowl, add: edamame, cilantro, bean sprouts, cilantro, cashews, ginger and pepper. Toss very well. Set aside.
6. Next is the tofu. Open your can of mandarins and drain 1/4 of the juice into a cup.
7. Grab a saute pan. Add 1 tsp EVOO to pan. Add the tofu cubes – toss in oil a bit.
8. Turn stove on med-high and add soy sauce/aminos, agave syrup and mandarin juice. Tofu will be sitting in a nice 1/2 inch of liquid. Let tofu cook for 2-4 minutes – it will begin to sizzle and absorb some of the liquid.
9. Continue cooking tofu – toss tofu in sticky sauce. Add your grated ginger and pepper. Toss and cook until edges are crisp and sticky. Add in the chili oil towards the end of cooking.
10. Remove pan from heat – let cool for a few minutes while u assemble salad.
11. Whip together the dressing. You can also use a bottled variety if you desire.
12. Toss 4 cups of spinach in a spoonful of dressing. Set in serving bowl. Layer noodle salad on top of that. Add your drained mandarins to the edges of the dish and accent with wasabi rice crackers. Add the cubed tofu on top and fresh black pepper. You can drizzle more dressing over top if you’d like.
13. Serve! Tastes delicious chilled the next day too.
-> what are liquid aminos?
-> tofu tips
-> what is Vegenaise?
-> what are Maifun Noodles?
What a beautiful spring salad! Thanks for showing off the great ways to use edmame and tofu. I work with The Soyfoods Council and we're happy to be a resource for you anytime. Enjoy spring!
Hi, Kathy,
I served this tonight to guests…we all LOVED this. My husband has requested that this go into regular summer rotation.
Thanks Kathy! I just read the other day about the Roundup Ready seeds and was quite disgusted but I had no idea they were used in soy sauce. YUCK! Guess I will be buying some Braggs! Ok now for another question….is Veganaise actually good for you or is it just a mayo substitute that doesnt contain animal products? Sorry to be such a bother and thanks again!
…but keep in mind, I'm NOT saying Liquid Aminos is better than a good soy sauce. I just personally have been using Bragg's LA's for years and love it. Soy sauce works too – and is still quite flavorful. You can choose either in my recipe.
Kim…kinda a long answer, but this is from the Bragg's website. Read #3 first (no added salt in LA's yay)
—
"1 – What are Amino Acids?
Amino Acids are the building blocks of all our organs and tissues. They are also the building blocks from which different food proteins are constructed. When we eat a protein food, such as meat or soybeans, the natural hydrochloric acid in the stomach digests the protein, releasing the Amino Acids. They are the link between the food we eat and assimilation for our body tissue. Lack of adequate Amino Acids may make it impossible for the vitamins and minerals to perform their specific duties. [BACK]
2 – What is the difference between Bragg Liquid Aminos and regular Soy Sauce?
Bragg Liquid Aminos is a healthy alternative to Soy and Tamari sauce. No table salt or preservatives are added. [BACK]
3 – Are the soybeans used for Bragg Liquid Aminos genetically engineered?
Our Liquid Aminos are third party certified non-GMO. GMO soybeans are produced by Monsanto, and sold under the brand name Roundup Ready. These soybeans are altered to resist the herbicide glyphosate, and have been available since 1995. Bragg Live Foods buys its Liquid Aminos ingredients from a combine soy operation which, in turn, buys the soybeans from numerous sources in the central part of the United States. No Roundup Ready soybeans are purchased as part of this collective method, nore are they used in Bragg products. [BACK]
4 – If there is no salt in the Liquid Aminos, where does the salty taste come from?
The salty taste comes from the soybeans that are used to make Bragg Liquid Aminos. There is no salt added of any kind (land or sea). The naturally occurring sodium from the soybeans is 100-115 mg. per 1/2 tsp. This is 1/10 the sodium content of table salt."
Why would you use liquid amino soy sauce in place of real soy sauce? Less sodium? I have never heard of amino soy sauce so I am just wondering…
Reading through the ingredients for this dish was like heaven… so many wonderful things and that wasabi dressing oh my.
Wow this looks SO good! I would really love to be eating this for lunch today 🙂 I will have to try it out!!! Thanks for the recipe!
I recently did Asian Noodle salad and loved it!