Spicy Basil Noodles with Crispy Tofu, Bok Choy, and Bell Peppers

Wide rice noodles are tossed in a sweet-savory sauce built on a food-processor paste of chiles, shallots, and garlic, then finished with a generous two cups of Thai basil stirred in at the end so its licorice notes stay fresh. Cornstarch-coated pan-fried tofu adds a crisp-outside, creamy-inside topping, while bok choy and red bell pepper bring crunch and color.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces (⅜-inch-wide) rice noodles
• 14 ounces firm tofu, cut into ¾-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 6 Thai, serrano, or jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 4 shallots, peeled
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ¼ cup fish sauce substitute
• ¼ cup packed organic brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes)
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), stalks sliced on bias ¼ inch thick, greens sliced ½ inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, sliced ¼ inch thick, and halved crosswise
• 2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves

Instructions

1. Soak the noodles in a large bowl of very hot tap water, stirring to separate them, for 35 to 40 minutes — they should be pliable and limp but not fully tender — then drain. While they soak, spread the tofu on a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain for 20 minutes, then pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Process the chiles, shallots, and garlic to a smooth paste, roughly 20 pulses, scraping the bowl as needed. Separately whisk the broth, fish sauce substitute, sugar, and lime juice; set aside.
3. Toss the drained tofu with cornstarch, then shake it in a fine-mesh strainer to knock off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high until shimmering, add the tofu, and cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp and browned all over. Drain on a paper towel–lined plate.
4. In the empty skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat until shimmering. Cook the bok choy stalks and bell pepper 3 to 4 minutes, until crisp-tender and lightly browned. Add the bok choy greens and cook about 30 seconds, just until wilting; transfer to a bowl.
5. Heat the last 2 tablespoons oil in the empty skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Cook the chile paste 3 to 5 minutes, until the moisture cooks off and the color darkens. Add the noodles and broth mixture and toss gently about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and the noodles are well coated and tender.
6. Stir in the browned vegetables and basil, cooking about 1 minute to warm through. Top with the crispy tofu and serve.