Cold Peanut Noodles with Tofu and Red Peppers

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

A vast improvement on the usual sesame noodles made famous by a million Chinese take-out menus, this silky version includes chunks of tofu and sweet, crunchy slices of red bell pepper.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 pound firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3. 3/4 pound Chinese chow mein noodles or thin linguine
4. 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
5. 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
6. 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
7. 3/4 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
8. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
9. 1 garlic clove
10. 3/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
11. 2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced
12. 3 large scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths and julienned
13. Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss the tofu with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chow mein noodles and cook until they are al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Shake out the excess water and add the noodles to the tofu and soy sauce.
3. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of soy sauce with the peanut butter, chicken stock, rice vinegar, chile-garlic sauce, ginger, garlic and sesame oil and puree until a smooth sauce forms. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles, add the sliced red bell peppers and scallions and toss. Garnish with cilantro and serve.