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Japanese Sesame Dressing Cold Noodle Salad

This is a very summer-friendly meal with very little heat or "cooking" involved. And yet it packs so many layers of texture - crunchy veggies, chewy noodles, and crispy tofu; and also a combination of flavors - umami, savory, rich and creamy from the Japanese sesame dressing and vibrant, spicy, and aromatic from the chili oil.

One of the biggest injustices in the food world, as far as I'm concerned, is the bad rep that salads get. They are stereotypically branded as "bland" or "boring", and constantly ridiculed as a "diet" food or "rabbit food". Well all of the above couldn't be farther away from being accurate. Salads can be pretty much anything you want them to be and they can be hearty, satisfying, and irresistibly scrumptious just like this one! 

Another perk for a salad bowl is how low fuss and quick they are. This recipe is for one of those days when you just can't be bothered to cook but still wanna eat WELL, both nutrition-wise and taste-wise. It's packed with vitamins and fiber from fresh veggies, complete plant protein from tofu, healthy fat from sesame, and more... 

If you try this please tag me on Instagram and Tiktok where I also share other aspects of my plant-based lifestyle. 


INGREDIENTS:

*this measurement makes one single serving, multiply as needed

3.5 oz noodle of choice

1 small cucumber, shredded

1 small carrot, shredded

7 oz extra firm tofu, cubed

2 radish, sliced

2-3 cup spinach, blanched

Avocado oil for the tofu

Chili oil for serving, optional


For the Japanese Sesame Dressing -

2 tablespoon white sesame seed

2 tablespoon homemade silken tofu mayo

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon mirin

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil


TO MAKE:

- In a nonstick pan, dry toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, shake and stir frequently, until aromatic and golden, about 5 minutes, watch them closely don't let them burn;

- Ground the toasted sesame seeds in a pestle and mortar set till smooth, or use a kitchen processor;

- In a sauce dish, combine all the ingredients for the dressing, whisk till smooth, set aside;

- Cut the tofu into cubes and spray with avocado oil, air fry at 400°F for 15 minutes, or pan fry with a little oil;

- Cook your noodle of choice according to package instructions, I like to cook wide noodles for about 4 minutes till they're soft but still a bit chewy;

- Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water immediately to stop cooking and prevent clumping;

- Arrange all the veggies, tofu, and noodles in a deep bowl, pour the sesame dressing over, and top with chili oil;

- Serve cold, enjoy!


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