Spring is stuffed with vibrant, vibrant veg, similar to beetroot, carrots, rhubarb, rocket, spring onion and watercress. As we speak’s dishes are nice for impressing vegetarian pals or household, or should you merely desire a meat-free dish with out feeling as should you’re lacking out. For those who don’t need to use tofu, swap it for crunchy veg, similar to carrot, asparagus or spring cabbage, to create a contrasting texture for the noodles.
Peanut vegetable noodles (pictured prime)
This can be a must-try for individuals who say they hate tofu. It’s not the best protein to cook dinner, however should you get it proper, it’s a winner. Ensure you purchase the agency selection, which has numerous the water extracted, making it crisp up into a stunning, golden color with a silky texture. Tofu can also be famend for not tasting of very a lot, however that’s the place the peanut sauce right here actually comes into its personal, whereas the curry powder takes issues to a different degree.
Prep 10 min
Dry 15-20 min
Cook dinner 25 min
Serves 4
1 x 400g block agency tofu
3 nests egg noodles
4 tbsp clean peanut butter
1 vegetable inventory dice, crumbled2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp medium curry powder
Salt and freshly floor black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
4 spring onions, white components thickly sliced, inexperienced ends finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and minimize into skinny strips
Soy sauce, to style (elective)
Cube the tofu into small cubes, and placed on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Put one other sheet of kitchen paper on prime, pat the items dry, and go away for 15-20 minutes.
Cook dinner the noodles based on the packet directions – this normally includes pouring scorching water straight from the kettle over the noodles in a bowl, and leaving them to face for about 10 minutes. Reserve half a cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles.
In a small bowl, make a paste by mixing the peanut butter, crumbled inventory dice and reserved scorching noodle water, then put aside.
Again to the now well-drained tofu. Combine the cornflour and curry powder in a small bowl, and season. Put the tofu in a bowl, scatter over the curry powder combination and toss to coat evenly.
Put a tablespoon of oil in a big, nonstick pan on a medium-high warmth and, when it’s scorching, fry the tofu for 2 or three minutes, turning, till the surface of the cubes are golden and crisp throughout. Switch to a tray lined with kitchen roll to empty.
Return the pan to a medium-high warmth, add one other tablespoon of vegetable oil, then stir within the garlic, the spring onion whites and the carrot strips, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the peanut paste, stir properly and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes extra. Add the drained noodles, toss to coat within the sauce, then stir by means of the crisp tofu. Regulate the seasoning with somewhat soy sauce, if desired, then serve garnished with the sliced spring onion greens.
Creamy vegetable spaghetti
This simple, filling and reasonably priced recipe could be prepared on the desk in simply quarter-hour – excellent for when you’ve hungry mouths to feed. It’s additionally a terrific dish to double as much as serve eight should you’re having family and friends over on the final minute. The addition of ribbons of veg similar to carrot or courgette is a very easy manner of getting your vegetable consumption in and, as soon as they’re coated within the wealthy, creamy, tacky sauce, I assure the youngsters received’t even discover.
Prep 10 min
Cook dinner 15 min
Serves 4
Salt and freshly floor black pepper
500g dried spaghetti
1 giant courgette
1 giant carrot, peeled
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
100g cream cheese
40g cheddar, grated
Deliver a big saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook dinner for 10-12 minutes, till al dente. Reserve 125ml of the cooking water, then drain the spaghetti in a colander.
In the meantime, use a vegetable peeler to shave lengthy strips alongside the size of each the courgette and the carrot, till you’ve a pile of ribbons for every.
Put the oil in a big, nonstick frying pan on a medium warmth and, as soon as it’s scorching, add the garlic and cook dinner for a minute. Add the vegetable ribbons and cook dinner, stirring often, for about three minutes, till they soften.
Pour the reserved pasta water into the pan, adopted by the cream cheese and cheddar, then gently stir to mix, so the combination warms by means of and the cheese melts. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan, toss to coat within the tacky sauce, then season with freshly floor black pepper and serve.
Comply with @FullTimeMeals for extra filling, budget-friendly recipes from Tom Kerridge.
