The Happy Pear share their comforting recipe for a bowl of nourishing noodle goodness
Our kids love this! It’s a super-tasty soup, straightforward to make and packed full of flavour. It makes a great dinner as well as lunch, and it’s also good eaten cold for a meal on the go. Serving it with peanut rayu takes it to the next level!
Serves 2–3
For the crispy tofu:
- 200g firm tofu
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tbsp oil
For the soup:
- 200g rice noodles
For the veg:
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 carrot
- 3 scallions or green onions
- 1 handful of fresh coriander
- Yellow curry paste sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 red chilli
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- juice 1 lime
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 15g fresh coriander (just the stalks)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 x 400ml can coconut milk
- 400ml veg stock
Garnishes:
- fresh lime wedges
- red chilli
- peanuts or peanut rayu to
- garnish
Method
To prep the Tofu:
1 Cut the tofu into long rectangular chunks, about 4cm
x 1cm.
2 In a bowl, toss the tofu with the tamari, cornstarch and garlic powder until evenly coated. Place the tofu cubes in an air-fryer basket, making sure they are not touching each other for better airflow.
3 Toss the tofu lightly in the oil. Air fry at 200°C (390°F) for about 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the tofu is golden brown and crispy. Set aside.
To prep the noodles:
1 Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
2 Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, then set aside.
To prep the veg:
1 Finely slice the red pepper and the carrot, slice the green onions into rounds and finely chop the coriander including the stalk. Keep some of the green onions and coriander back to garnish.
To make the soup:
1 Place all the ingredients for the yellow curry paste sauce into a blender and blend until smooth.
2 Add to a pot and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble:
1 Divide the cooked noodles between the serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles, making sure to distribute the vegetables equally. Top each bowl with a portion of the crispy air-fried tofu.
To garnish and serve:
1 Garnish with the peanut rayu, reserved sliced green onions and chopped coriander, lime wedges and sliced red chilli, if using. Serve immediately, encouraging everyone to squeeze some lime juice over their soup to enhance the flavours.
Tip: If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the tofu in an oven preheated to 200°C fan/425°F/gas 7 for about 15 minutes, or pan fry it for 5 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of The Happy Pear 20: Learnings from the first 20 years, priced £23.99. Published by Gill Books
