Fusion food is my favourite. I love combining the best of any two cuisines in one dish, and making it a showstopper. The best part about this recipe, it is simple and easy to make.
Thai Basil Tofu
I created this recipe from the meat version, Thai Basil Minced Pork. You can replace the pork with tofu, Omnipork, or even mushrooms. The basil adds that beautiful sweet and tangy flavour to the tofu, and with the addition of fresh red chillies, there is no better way to complete this dish. You can go a bit further and add lemongrass to the mix, while stir-frying, this may add more aroma and sweetness.
Spicy Peanut Sauce
I love making my own peanut butter for sauces, but it does require a bit more time and a lot more peanuts. So, the quickest way is to use store-bought peanut butter. The best peanut sauce is made from SKIPPY peanut butter. I’ve tried using the healthier, less added sugar peanut butters but the taste is never the same.
For the level of spice, you can always adjust it with the amount of chilli oil you add in the recipe. I would first start of with the amount stated in this recipe, and then go from there. It is harder to mild down the level of spice than to increase the level of spice.
You can use this sauce for literally anything. Dumplings, rice crackers or as a dip. It the most tastiest peanut sauce you will ever try. I guarantee it.
Ho Fan
Ho Fan (“河粉” HeFun in China, Hor Fun or He Fen) is a type of flat rice noodle used in many delicious stir-fry noodle dishes in Chinese cuisine. A similar one is Kway Teow, a stir-fry dish in South-East Asia, prominently in Malaysia and Singapore adapted from the Chinese version.
There are a few sizes of Ho Fan, you can get the very wide flat noodles or a thinner flat noodles, fresh or dehydrated (depends on where you are purchasing this from).
For this recipe in particular, I used the thin flat noodles as the wider noodles contrast against the julienned veggies. The wider noodles are great for a stir-fry with chunkier bits of veggies.
Have fun making this recipe! Don’t forget to drop me a message or a shoutout if you do make this. It would mean so much!
Spicy Peanut Sauce Ho Fan with Thai Basil Tofu
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Sharp knife
- Strainer/Colander
- 3 bowls (2 small, 1 medium)
- Wok or flat pan
- Wooden spoon
- Serving dish
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 1/2 large Cucumber julienned
- 1/2 large Carrot julienned
- 600 grams Ho Fan noodles or Kway Teow noodles flat rice noodles
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp Rice vinegar (or sushi seasoning)
- 1 tsp Sugar
For the peanut sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsps Peanut butter for sauces like this, I used skippy as it has more flavour. However, you can use healthier versions of this and opt for peanut butter that contains less sugar.
- 1/2 cup Hot water depends on the thickness that you like
- 3 tbsp Organic soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Sushi seasoning or rice vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1-2 tsp Chilli oil use your favourite brand. I use the Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli OIl
For the Thai basil tofu
- 350 grams Soft organic tofu
- 3 tbsp Black sesame oil
- 2 Thai red chillies sliced diagonally to create long rhombus shapes
- 2 handfuls Fresh Thai basil or more as you wish
- 3 cloves Minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp Salt or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp Pepper or more to taste
- 4 tbsps Organic soy sauce
- 1 tsp Indonesian Sambal you can use any chilli sauce that you love, but I think this goes the best
Instructions
For the Thai basil tofu
- In a flat wok or pan, add the oil and let it heat up on medium heat
- Place the block of tofu onto the heated pan, and crumble the tofu using the back of a wooden spoon. Let all the water evaporate from the tofu. This will take 10-15 minutes on high heat. Stir consistently so the tofu does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the tofu is dry and crumbly, turn off the heat, pour the tofu in a bowl and set aside.
- Using the same pan, add another 2-3 tbsps of sesame oil. Heat it up and add your red chillies, garlic and Thai basil. Let it sizzle until fragrant.
- Add the tofu into this pan, and give it a nice stir.
- Add the salt, pepper, soy sauce and sambal
- Mix the tofu one last time, then turn the heat off. Keep this aside.
For the peanut sauce
- Whisk all the ingredients together. Keep aside
For the noodles
- In a bowl, add the carrots and the cucumbers with a 1 tsp of salt
- Mix the carrots and cumbers together and let it sit for 5 minutes
- After 5 minutes, wash the carrots and the cucumbers, pat dry and set aside.
- Add the rice vinegar (or sushi seasoning), sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl, and mix together. Pour this over the carrots and cucumbers and keep aside.
- In a boiling pot of water over medium heat, gently rinse the noodles for 2-3 minutes so it warms up. Strain and keep aside.
Plating
- In your serving dish, gently add the warm noodles as the first layer.
- Pour the warm peanut sauce over the noodles, and garnish with the seasoned carrots and cucumber.
- Add the Thai basil tofu on top, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and a teaspoon of chilli oil right on top.
- Serve hot! Don't forget to tag @TheVeggieWifey and show off your remake!
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