Sriracha Peanut Udon Noodles with Tofu and Broccoli

While I don’t share all my meals with you, I still photograph the majority of my meals if convenient. A quick run upstairs, snap a few photos, and then eat away.  Sometimes I kick myself for not having taken a photo, especially if I eat it all before I have a second chance, which is why I try to photograph my meals.

The real conundrum is whether to photograph the meals that Rob makes. Not because I don’t like to post his meals (I do), but sometimes the meals aren’t what I like, or don’t use ingredients that I eat, etc, but importantly, I may not be around to snap the photo.

When Rob made these udon noodles with a spicy peanut-hoisin sauce (he forgot to add the hoisin sauce, oops!), we deliberated. Did I want to take some photos? Is it blog worthy, I asked? How does it taste? Is it spicy? There’s a 1 tbsp of sriracha in it, gosh, I’d never do that!

Initially, he thought he preferred his other udon noodle dish with a miso sauce, but happily munched away. I tasted some of the broccoli and tofu smothered in the peanut sauce. Delicious. I ate some more. Not really that spicy, totally Janet friendly. The sweetness from the agave and the peanut butter lend a helping hand to the subtle heat from the sriracha. The vinegar adds the sour dimension. And while Rob forgot to add the hoisin sauce, it tasted like it had already been added anyhow.

As you can tell, I then ran upstairs to photograph a bowl of delicious noodles. While we have yet to see whether this will truly be a Rob’s Repeater Recipe, I can safely assure you that we both liked this dish. I may whip out the kelp noodles to make the peanut sauce again! And when Rob makes the udon with miso sauce again, I’ll try to grab some pics, too. 🙂

This is my submission to this week’s Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by Elizabeth.

Sriracha Peanut Udon Noodles with Tofu and Broccoli
Adapted from Quick Fix Vegan via Cate’s World Kitchen

250g frozen udon noodles (one “brick”, these ones are great)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound extra firm tofu, pressed, drained, and diced
3 green onions (green parts only), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

1. In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the udon noodles according to package directions (frozen noodles only need ~7 minutes in boiling water).  During the last minute or two of cooking, add the broccoli and carrots to soften them slightly. Drain and rinse under plenty of cold running water. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, agave, and sesame oil over low heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in the vegetable broth and stir until smooth. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil and cook the tofu until golden on all sides. Once cooked, add the garlic, ginger, and scallions to the skillet with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir until fragrant. Next, add in the cooked pasta and vegetables. Add sauce to taste and stir to combine.

Serves 3-4.