Zingy Vietnamese-style noodles with fried sesame tofu

A must make! The sticky sesame tofu works beautifully in this dish but you could swap it for mushrooms, prawns, shredded chicken or fish. This is one of my all-time favourite dressings. I also like to drizzle it on roasted cauliflower, baked squash and fried brussels sprouts. I love thin rice vermicelli for speed but cook up any type of noodles you like. This is also fantastic with left-over cooked rice or quinoa, and use vegan fish sauce to make this completely plant-based.

25 MINUTES + MARINATING | SERVES 4 | EASY |

extra-firm tofu 280g

coconut oil 2 tbsp

maple syrup 1 tbsp

mixed sesame seeds 2 tbsp DRESSING

limes 3, juiced maple syrup or coconut sugar 2 tbsp

fish sauce 2 tbsp (or use vegan if you prefer) tamari or soy sauce 21/2 tbsp

garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped

thai chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped or 2 squirts of chilli sauce

NOODLE SALAD

thin dried vermicelli (rice or mung bean) 300g

mixed herbs (such as coriander, basil and mint) 2 handfuls

Little Gem lettuces 2, leaves separated cashews or peanuts 2 tbsp

carrots 2, cut into matchsticks

cucumber 1/2, cut into matchsticks radishes or cabbage 2 handfuls of finely sliced

1 Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or put in a clean screw-top jar and shake well.

2 Drain the tofu well. Chop into 2cm cubes, then pat dry in a clean tea towel. Put into a bowl, stir in 2 tbsp of the dressing and marinate for 10 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, put the dried vermicelli in a large, wide heatproof serving bowl, pour over just-boiled water and leave for the time specified on the pack – usually around 5-8 minutes.

4 Reserve the leaves of the herbs and finely chop the stalks (discard any mint stalks). Tear the lettuce.

5 Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the cashews and toast for 2 minutes until golden, then tip onto a chopping board and roughly chop.

6 Put the pan back on the heat and melt the coconut oil. Use tongs to put the tofu pieces in the pan, spacing them out, and fry on a medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, turn over and cook for another 4 minutes. During the final minute of cooking, stir in the maple syrup and sesame seeds, and remove from the heat.

7 Drain the noodles, wipe out the bowl and return the noodles to the bowl, roughly snipping with scissors. Drizzle over half of the dressing, add the herbs and veg, and toss. Scatter over the tofu, followed by the nuts. Serve with extra dressing on the side.

PER SERVING 566 kcals | fat 18.8G | saturates 7.2G carbs 74.2G | sugars 13.6G | fibre 9.2G | protein 20.4G | salt 1.3G low salt | nourish