Brogger's Menu: Grilled Tofu and Eggplant Noodle Salad

For some of us SoCal people, it's friggin' hot outside. I've done variations on noodle salads, and this seemed appropriate for this week. It's vegetarian to boot. Check after the break for this easy 30-minute recipe that's healthy, light, and refreshing.

Ingredients - Serves 3
1 package of Chinese egg noodles 1 block fried Tofu/bean curd (using only half anyway) 1 eggplant (I prefer Chinese variety, but I used Japanese because that's all they had) 1 cucumber 1 package of bean sprouts 1 package Japanese seaweed 2 green onions 5 basil leaves 3 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt
pepper
light sweet soy sauce / soba noodle dipping sauce (very similar)

Step 1: Prepare the vegetables & tofu - 5 minutes

Fill a pot with water, large enough to fit your noodles. Put it on the stove to bring to a boil.

Mince the garlic, shred the cucumbers, dice the basil and green onions.

Cut eggplant length-wise in half, then width-wise to get nice quarter-slices (look like chips). 3-4 slices per person. Drizzle olive oil enough to coat pieces, and add salt and pepper.

Cut tofu block in half, then cut the tofu from corner-to-corner to make a triangle piece of tofu.

Water should be boiling or near it. Take about a handful/fist's worth of bean sprouts and throw it into the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Take out and set aside with the rest of your vegetables.

Step 2: Boil the noodles - 8 minutes

Dump your package of noodles into the boiling water. Stir slowly constantly to prevent sticking. After 7-8 minutes, take a sliver out and check for done-ness. You want them to still have a bit of bite to be chewy, but not mushy.

Step 3: Make noodle salad - 2 minutes

Grab a bowl large enough to fit the noodles. Drizzle olive oil enough to just coat the noodles so they don't stick together. Take your garlic, basil, and green onions and dump them in with the noodles and toss together. Take your light sweet soy sauce and drizzle enough to coat the noodles.

It should be at a consistency where the garlic, basil, and green onions stick to the noodles and are not clumped together. Put in refrigerator to chill.

Step 4: Grill eggplant and tofu - 8-10 minutes

Get the grill hot. Smoking hot. Toss on the eggplant and tofu triangles and close. Wait 5-6 minutes or until the eggplant skin becomes charred, and flip both eggplant and tofu. 2-3 minutes later, it should be completed.

You're looking for a tender consistency on the eggplant to tell if it's done. Poke it with a fork or tongs to check. The tofu just needs to get charred.

Don't have a grill? Sauteeing the eggplant and tofu works too.

Step 5: Construct plate - 1 minute

Take the noodles out of the fridge. Grab a plate and make a noodle mountain or however much you want to eat.

Layer on a bed of bean sprouts. Layer on a bed of cucumbers.

Place tofu triangles on top of cucumbers. Place eggplant around the plate.

Top off with seaweed salad.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top if you have it.

This dish has a refreshing light soy/garlic/basil flavor, and a smokey aftertaste once combined with the tofu and eggplant. It's deep and whole in it's flavor due to the grilling, and you won't feel guilty eating it because it's very light and chilled.