Udon Noodles with Fried Tofu and Orange Nam Jim

Another from Ottolenghi’s: Flavor, this recipe is my new favorite. I topped with a bit too much red chile, but that was okay for me. The blood orange comes through really well and overall the dish is fantastic.

Ingredients

Fried Tofu

• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus 4½ tsp
• ¼ tsp table salt
• 12¾ oz/350g firm tofu, pressed to remove any water, very well patted dry, and cut into 1¼ x ½-inch/3 x 1½cm rectangles

Blood Orange Nam Jim

• 1½ tsp basmati rice
• 2 tsp Aleppo chile flakes or Gochugaru Korean hot pepper flakes (or ¼ tsp regular chile flakes)
• 4–5 blood (or regular) oranges: juice to get ⅔ cup/160ml; cut the remainder into wedges
• ¾ oz/20g store-bought tamarind paste (double if you're extracting it yourself from pulp; see page 20)
• 7½ tsp fish sauce (or light soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ small shallot, finely diced (¼ cup/40g)
• ¼ cup/5g cilantro, finely chopped

Remaining

• 1 lb 5 oz/600g pre-cooked udon noodles
• ½ cup/10g Thai basil leaves
• 3 green onions, julienned (mounded ¾ cup/50g)
• ½ cup/10g cilantro leaves, finely sliced
• 2 red chiles, julienned (⅔ cup/40g)
• 1 tbsp white or black sesame seeds, or a mixture of both, toasted

Instructions

1. For the tofu: Combine the garlic, soy sauce, maple syrup, 1 tbsp sunflower oil, and salt in a container big enough to fit the tofu in a single layer. Add the tofu, toss gently to coat each piece, and let marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning the pieces halfway through.
2. For the nam jim: Meanwhile, put the rice into a small saucepan on medium-high heat and toast for 2½ minutes, then add the chile flakes and toast for another 30 seconds, until both are fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle and blitz or pound to a coarse powder. Transfer the ground rice and chile to a medium bowl and add the orange juice, tamarind, fish sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce, shallot, and chopped cilantro. Mix well, then pour into a large sauté pan on medium-high heat and cook gently for 2 minutes, until warm.
3. Add the noodles to the pan and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring to separate the strands. Remove from the pan and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
4. Heat the remaining 4½ tsp sunflower oil in a large nonstick pan on medium-high heat until very hot, then add half the tofu to the pan, spaced apart. Fry for 1½–2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden brown, taking care as it may spit. Set the cooked tofu aside while you fry the remaining tofu (add a bit more oil if necessary and decrease the heat if the tofu is coloring too quickly). Stir any remaining tofu marinade into the noodles.
5. Toss the basil, green onions, cilantro leaves, and chilies with the noodles, then transfer to a serving platter with a lip. Finish with the sesame seeds and hot tofu and serve with the orange wedges alongside.