Quick Summer Thai-ish Peanut Noodles
I can already feel the beginnings of summer. The sun shines more strongly everyday and with it comes the usual blooms from the fire trees coloring the surroundings with flashes of orange. It’s safe to say that my daily companion is now my electric fan set on #2 (in my opinion, the best fan setting). I also find myself craving for more refreshing foods. Ones filled with bright colors which is why I love this Quick Summer Thai-ish Peanut Noodles. It’s super customizable and I can fill it with whatever fresh produce I have hiding in my fridge. The peanut butter makes this extra saucy and creamy while the sambal makes me feel like I’m back in Thailand gorging on pad thai nonstop.
This recipe comes together in around 15 minutes depending on what add-ins you decide to include. I like searing some tofu until crisp to make this more filling as well as increasing the protein (the men in my family must have protein, so they tell me all the time).
To build up the bowl, I toss in some slivers of bell pepper, shaved carrots and celery WITH LEAVES. Most people remove the leaves from the celery stalks but they are completely edible, full of flavor and nutrients. You can reserve some of the leaves for garnish later and use the rest to be stir fried with the noodles. With a light hand toss everything together in a pan, making sure to coat the noodles with the delicious spicy peanut sauce. Twist into individual bowls and garnish with a handful of herbs, limes and chopped peanuts. Super simple, very gratifying and vibrant.
How to Cook Tofu
Although this is more of a noodle recipe, you might be considering adding tofu like I did. I might make a separate in-depth post next time but for now I’ll give you the basics to get you started.
The first thing you need to do is ask yourself is what dish will you be using the tofu for. If you’re going to use the tofu for sweet purposes such as taho or a mousse then silken/soft tofu is what you will need. If it’s for a tofu scramble you can use soft or firm tofu (or a mix of both) depending on your chunky preference. However for savory dishes, firm/extra firm is normally what is called for especially when it comes to stir frys.
Firm tofu goes through a bit more prep than the other types but still fairly easy to do. These are the steps I follow:
Chop the tofu block into four
Wrap in a paper towel
Place on a plate and cover with another plate
Place heavy objects (I use books, just another benefit of being a bookworm) on top of the plate
Leave the tofu to press and enjoy your life
You’ll want to press the tofu for 30 minutes to an hour before using. Some people use a tofu press made chiefly for this job. Others (ehem like me) do something similar to the steps outlined above. Whichever you choose, both achieve the same results. Once the tofu is done pressing, pat dry and cut into preferred sizes. I coated mine with salt, black pepper and cornstarch for extra crispiness then seared it in a lightly oiled pan/wok until brown.
Just A Few Tips
- You can substitute the noodles with what you have on hand. However, the Asian varieties work better in this recipe (think udon, soba or lo mein)
- The peanut butter makes this sauce extra thick and creamy. Use the water measurement stated in the recipe as a guide and add water from there to get a more saucy consistency.
- In terms of spice level, this is not very spicy (I love spicy food but have a very low tolerance for it). Adjust the spice according to your preference. Even adding some chopped bird’s eye chili (sili labuyo) on top for added spice.
- Substitutions for allergies:
For nut allergies: Replace the peanut butter with a seed butter or tahini
For gluten intolerance: Use gluten free noodles (i.e. rice noodles)
For soy allergies: Skip the tofu, replace the soy sauce with tamari/coconut aminos and use soy-free noodles - This is a very customizable recipe so get creative with the mix-ins and veggies. I love a squeeze of lime over mine while my dad loves adding a fried egg on top.
Let me know if you enjoy this Quick Summer Thai-ish Peanut Noodles by leaving a rating/comment down below. I always love seeing your awesome eats! Happy cooking!
Quick Summer Thai-ish Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
- 450 g rice noodles ,cooked according to package instructions
- 172 g (⅔ cup) peanut butter ,preferably unsalted and unsweetened
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sambal oelek*
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) water ,room temp or warm
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3-4 large cloves garlic ,chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger ,minced
Toppings (Optional)
- 700 g (2 blocks) firm tofu ,pressed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch* ,optional (for crispy tofu: see notes)
- 2 stalks celery with leaves ,chopped thinly
- 2 medium sized red bell peppers ,chopped into strips
- 1 large shaved carrot ,peeled
- salt ,to taste
- black pepper ,to taste
- spring onions ,chopped thinly
- bird's eye chili or sili labuyo ,chopped thinly
- lime wedges
- chopped toasted peanuts
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients and have your mix-ins nearby for easy reach. If making tofu, sear them now and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, make the spicy peanut sauce by combining the peanut butter, soy sauce, sambal, rice vinegar, maple syrup and water in a bowl. Taste and adjust spiciness by adding more sambal. Add more water for a saucier consistency.
- When the noodles are almost done cooking, coat a pan/wok with the sesame oil and saute the garlic and ginger over medium high heat. Add in your mix-ins of choice such as the bell peppers, celery, shaved carrots and seared tofu. Pour in the cooked noodles and the peanut sauce and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with spring onions, chopped peanuts and lime wedges. Serve and enjoy!
