Red Curry Tofu and Vegetables with Fuzhou Noodles

Hot, spicy, and healthy!

  
     The flavors of this entree are exotic and the Fuzhou Noodles are a great accompaniment.  Fuzhou Noodles are known as "Lucky Noodles" in China.  There is nothing greater than a hot, spicy, lucky plate of food to get on a hot winning streak!
      This entree is a fusion of flavors and cuisines.  Respect can be earned by learning the regional cooking styles of China and India.  Greater respect can be earned by being able to cook recipes from those two countries perfectly.  Many chefs think that Chinese and Indian cuisine has many rules that must be followed and there is no room for creativity.  The truth is, both Chinese and Indian cuisine has been around for thousands of years and nearly every creative cooking idea that could possibly be thought of, has already been tried or perfected!  When thinking, "Noodles would be nice with curry and batter fried tofu.  I bet that has never been done before...", the truth is that it probably has been done before.  Who knows!
     The main thing to keep in mind about fusion or cross culture cuisine combinations is to set a goal of having the creation taste and look good enough to be appealing.  That is easy to do when masala curry cooking is involved in cross cultural food creations.  The flavors of Indian curry pastes and spice blends tend to adapt nicely.      
  
     Red Curry Tofu and Vegetables with Fuzhou Noodles Recipe:
     Keep a sauce pot of water boiling on a back burner, so the fuzhou noodles can be cooked later in the recipe!
     Cut a 1/2" thick rectangular firm tofu slice in half to form two triangle shaped pieces.
     Dredge the tofu triangles in flour.
     Dip the floured tofu in egg wash.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1/4" to 3/8" of vegetable oil.
     Pan fry the egg dipped tofu on both sides, till they become golden colored.
     Set the tofu slices on a roasting rack to drain off the excess oil.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1 small splash of vegetable oil.
     Add 2 cloves of minced garlic.
     Add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.
     When the garlic turns a golden color, add 1 small handful of each of these vegetables:
     - thin sliced cabbage
     - large diced green bell pepper
     - large diced red bell pepper
     - large pieces of green onion
     - sliced onion
     Add 3 asparagus spears that are cut into bit size pieces.
     Add 5 green beans that are cut into bite size pieces.
     Add 1 tiny handful of matchstick sliced carrots.
     Add 1 sliced jalapeno pepper.
     Saute till the vegetables just start to become tender.
     Add 1 small handful of peas.
     Add 1 pinch of cumin.
     Add 1 teaspoon of Korean Red Serrano Chile Sauce.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 tablespoon of red curry paste.  (Vindaloo curry paste is a nice choice!)
     Add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth.
     Stir the ingredients, till the curry paste is blended into the liquid.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Add 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut milk.
     Add 1 small squeeze of lime juice.
     Stir and toss the vegetables with the curry sauce.
     Place the reserved pan fried tofu triangles to the sauce in the pan to reheat them.
     Spoon the vegetables and curry on a plate, but leave the tofu slices in the pan.
     Cook 1 portion of Fuzhou Noodles in the boiling water.  (Fuzhou Noodles only take less than a minute to cook!)
     Drain the water off of the fuzhou noodles.
     Mound the Fuzhou Noodles on the middle of the red curry vegetables.
     Lean the fried sauced tofu slices against the mound of noodles.
     Garnish with thick slices of lime.
  
     A squeeze of fresh lime over this entree is very refreshing with the hot spicy red curry.  Instead of rice with curry, the the Fuzhou Noodles are a nice alternative.  This is a delicious vegetarian entree!  ...  Shawna