Recipe: Soy Ginger Noodle Salad with Pickled Carrots and Tofu

I could eat this light, refreshing vegan noodle salad all day. Vinegary pickled carrots get tossed with mild, almost creamy bites of tofu, and the slick, briny strips of wakame provide ample personality to a base of chewy rice noodles. It’s a great dish to make ahead for dinner parties, picnics, or your hungry future self. If you don’t have Quick Pickled Carrots on hand, shred 3 medium carrots, toss with 11⁄2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar, and let sit while you make the noodles. Serves 4, with other dishes.

1⁄2 ounce (14 g/about 2 heaping tablespoons) dried wakame or nori seaweed
Kosher salt
8 ounces (225 g) wide dried rice noodles, also known as rice sticks
Toasted sesame oil
11⁄2 cups (150 g) Quick Pickled Carrots
7 ounces (200 g) tofu, cut into bite-size cubes
1⁄4 cup (50 g) Soy Ginger Dressing needed
Crushed peanuts (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, or whole pea tendrils (optional)

Line a plate with paper towels. If using wakame, put it in a small bowl and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Leave for 5 minutes to rehydrate, then drain and spread out on the prepared plate to dry. Slice any larger pieces into thin strips. If using nori, cut into bite-size pieces (pro tip: use scissors to cut the nori). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water, and drain well. Put the noodles in a large serving bowl and toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking. Add the seaweed, pickled carrots, tofu, and dressing to the bowl. Toss to coat the ingredients, adding more dressing if desired. If you can avoid refrigerating, do so; the rice noodles taste best at room temperature. Garnish with crushed peanuts and chopped herbs of your choice.

Quick Pickled Carrots
Makes 2 cups 1 cup

(240 g) very hot water 1 cup
(240 g) rice vinegar 2 tablespoons
(25 g) sugar 2 tablespoons
(20 g) kosher salt
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into matchsticks

Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the carrots and ginger and let cool. Drain any pickles you want to eat right away, then seal the remainder in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Soy Ginger Dressing
Makes 1 cup

1⁄2 cup (105 g) neutral oil, such as canola 1⁄4 cup
(60 g) rice vinegar 3 tablespoons
(40 g) toasted sesame oil One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
11⁄2 tablespoons
(30 g) maple syrup
11⁄2 tablespoons (22 g) soy sauce (substitute tamari if gluten-free)
1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard

Put all the ingredients in a bowl, blender, or food processor and whisk or blend to combine. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three weeks.