This cold noodle dish is a perfect way to celebrate the sun and warm weather, and a perfect dish to keep devouring during the summer months ahead. It is loaded with flavour and full of protein. It may have a list of ingredients as long as your arm, but it is a cinch to throw together!

Serves 4
Active time: about 30 minutes
I like to use mie noodles for this because they have a lovely bite, and I grate both the ginger and garlic with a microplane.
This recipe was adapted from here.

Ingredients

250g (about 9oz) noodles
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2cm fresh ginger, finely grated (about 2 tsp)
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
200g (about 7oz) tofu, drained and sliced
2 Tbsp corn starch
about 15cm (6″) cucumber, halved lengthwise and finely sliced
1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
a big handful of chopped basil
1 spring onion (scallion), sliced

Directions

Drain the tofu and press between sheets of paper towel to remove as much water as possible.

Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut butter, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, garlic, chilli flakes and sesame seeds in a small bowl and set aside. The longer it sits, the more the chilli will infuse the sauce with its spiciness.

Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet on medium heat until shimmering, dust the tofu in corn starch and fry until pale golden. Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towel and allow to cool.

Cook the noodles according to package directions, rinse well under cold running water and drain.

Toss the sauce with the noodles, then add the cucumber and fried tofu and toss well.

Can be refrigerated for a day before serving.

Garnish with peanuts, basil and spring onion.