Pink noodles with red cabbage and nutty tempeh
A little statement: It’s worth eating as much seasonal and local ingredients as possible. Not only because they don’t have to travel to us from very far, but also because of their taste. I prefer to wait until summer for those really tasty and fragrant tomatoes and juicy zucchini and then eat them with sentimental joy! Whenever possible, I always create my menu based on the best ingredients that are available right now. While preparing this noodle dish, I wanted the red cabbage to shine and to become the star of the evening. And that’s why the food is beautifully pink and you do not need many ingredients to prepare it. It’s actually an Asian noodle salad with a generous portion of juicy and incredibly healthy red cabbage. In combination with a few pieces of nutty, fried tempeh and crispy, roasted nuts, it can be a decent main course. Served in small bowls, it will also work great as an elegant appetizer. And what is worth to remember about pink-colour food? The green colour! This fresh addition will sensationally enhance the visual character of your dish.
Pink noodles with red cabbage and nutty tempeh
- red cabbage (I have used one half of a small head; about 2 cups chopped)
- ponzu sauce FROM THIS RECIPE (the same amount as in that recipe)
- 150g of any pasta: wheat, rice, soba
- 2 tbsps of sesame oil
- a large pinch of chilli or finely chopped pepper
- 2 tbsps of rapeseed oil
- 100g of natural tempeh (can be replaced with tofu)
- 1 full tbsps of peanut butter and 2 tbsps of water
- a handful of flaked or finely chopped almonds (you can also chop a few whole nuts)
- For serving: favourite sprouts / chives / coriander / finely chopped green part of the leek
- Optional: additional chilli / hot sauce / fresh pepper
- Cook the pasta/noodles of your choice in salted water, according to the instructions on the package. Drain.
- Cut the cabbage into very thin slices. You can do this with a knife, food processor, or using a simple peeler (just like in the pictures below).
- In a large bowl, mix the shredded cabbage with most of the ponzu sauce (save around 2 tbsp of sauce), add the pasta, sesame oil, and chilli. Try it and season with salt to taste.
- Roast the almond pieces in a hot pan for 2-3 minutes. When they are lightly golden, put them in a bowl or plate to cool down.
- Cut the tempeh into small cubes, each of them into two triangular pieces. Mix the remaining two tablespoons of ponzu sauce with a tablespoon of peanut butter and water.
- Fry the tempeh in hot oil in a frying pan until most of its edges are golden brown. Take the pan off the heat. Pour the peanut sauce over the fried tempeh. Mix everything together so that the thick sauce covers all the pieces.
- Arrange the ingredients in the bowls: pink noodles with cabbage, fried tempeh, crispy nuts.
- Garnish with green toppings and a little chilli. The dish tastes best when all the ingredients have cooled down.
