Upgrading Store-Bought Veggie Noodles: My Go-To Emergency Meal
In today's blog post, I wanted to share a little life saver for those days when time is short and the fridge is completely empty. This usually happens toward the end of the week, when my weekly meal prep has run out and I haven’t managed to hit the grocery store yet.
Thankfully, the psistaria (local takeaway) right next to my house sells vegetable noodles that happen to be accidentally vegan, lucky me! The only downside? It's literally just noodles and vegetables. To turn it into a satisfying, complete meal, I love to upgrade it by adding my own crispy tofu.
Here is my foolproof method for preparing the tofu so it turns out perfect every time:
Prep: Take a block of firm tofu, drain the liquid, and pat it dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.
The Secret Technique: Instead of cutting it into cubes, crumble it into bite-sized pieces with your hands. Crumbling creates jagged edges and rough textures. All those little nooks and crannies catch the heat in the oven, giving you way more crunchy, crispy bits than a smooth cube ever could, while creating crevices that absorb all the flavors.
Season: Toss the crumbles with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, a tablespoon of cornflour, and a splash of soy sauce. Combine everything gently with a silicone spatula.
Bake: Spread the pieces onto a baking tray, making sure to leave some space between them so they crisp up instead of steaming. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes.
The result is the crispiest, most flavorful tofu you will ever get!
To bring it all together, I toss the crispy tofu with the warm store-bought noodles and top it all off with fresh chopped spring onions, sesame seeds, and plenty of crispy fried onions for that extra crunch.
And that is how I transform a simple side of vegetable noodles into a delicious, high-protein meal to power through a busy day!
Nat x