Main DishesCrisp panko-coated tofu sits over rice noodles and tender bok choy in a peanut, lime, garlic, and ginger sauce. The sauce is savoury, sharp, lightly sweet, and thick enough to cling to every strand.
Pat the Firm tofu dry, wrap it in a clean towel or paper towels, and weigh it down for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Cut it into bite-size slabs while preparing the remaining ingredients.
Blend half the Peanuts with the Light Soy Sauce, Maple Syrup, Garlic, Ginger, juice from the Limes, and Water until smooth. The sauce should pour slowly and coat a spoon; blend longer if the peanuts remain grainy.
Whisk the Cornstarch with enough peanut sauce to make a thick but dip-able coating. Dip the Firm tofu pieces in the mixture, then press them into the Panko breadcrumbs on all sides.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the Thai Rice Noodles according to the packet timing, until flexible with a slight bite, then drain well.
Heat most of the Rapeseed Oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the coated Firm tofu in a single layer for 6 to 8 minutes, turning carefully, until the coating is deep golden and crisp; transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining Rapeseed Oil to the skillet over high heat. Cook the Bok choy for 3 to 4 minutes, turning the pieces, until the stems are tender-crisp and the leaves have wilted at the edges.
Toss the Thai Rice Noodles with the peanut sauce and Bok choy until evenly coated. Divide into bowls, add the crisp Firm tofu, and scatter over the remaining Peanuts.
The 15-minute tofu press is not cosmetic. Moisture trapped at the surface turns to steam in the skillet and loosens the coating before it can brown. The cornstarch and peanut sauce mixture should cling to each piece in a thick layer; if it runs off immediately, it needs a little more cornstarch before the panko goes on.
You can alternatively bake the tofu in the oven at 220 degrees celsius for 20min, it also gives a nice crisp.
Give the tofu a genuine single layer in a wide skillet. Crowded pieces trap moisture between them, which leaves the crumb coating pale and soft instead of deeply browned. Drain the rice noodles thoroughly as well: water carried from the pot dilutes the peanut sauce and stops it from holding evenly to the noodles.
I tried serving this to my toddlers — heads up: it did not work. I gave it another try with the bok choy chopped into really small pieces and cooked until very soft, but that didn’t work either. I guess I'm screwed with this recipe...........
Next time, I’ll try blending the bok choy into the sauce. I’ll keep you updated!
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