For an easy vegan weeknight dinner, whip up these Indo Chinese Manchurian Noodles! Cooked Ramen Noodles and pan-fried tofu are tossed in a spicy sauce to create a dish that is super addictive and fun to eat.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

For the tofu:

  • 7 ounces firm or extra firm tofu (pressed for 15 minutes then cubed or sliced into rectangles)
  • 4 oz ramen noodles ((2 ramen noodle packets))

For the Manchurian sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 6 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 inch of ginger (chopped)
  • 1 green chili (such as Serrano or Indian, chopped)
  • 2-3 tablespoons coarsely chopped white onion or the white parts of a green onion
  • 1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek or Asian chili garlic sauce (or Indian red chili sauce)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 3/4 cup water
  • Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Method

  1. Press and cube the tofu if you haven’t already and set aside. Cook your noodles according to the package instructions. Then rinse in cold water and set aside.
  2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and once hot add the tofu and cook until the tofu is golden on most of the edges, 7-9 minutes.
  3. In the meantime prepare the sauce aromatics; combine the garlic, ginger, green chili, and onion in a small food processor. Process until finely chopped, remove and set aside. Add the bell peppers and process until coarsely chopped. Set those aside as well.
  4. Remove the tofu from the skillet and add another teaspoon of oil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sauce aromatics(ginger, garlic, chili, onion) that were chopped and a good pinch of salt. cook for one minute then add the chopped bell pepper and another pinch of salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes
  5. Add the sambal oelek, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, black and white pepper, and maple syrup. Mix really well until it starts to come to a boil.
  6. Add the cornstarch and water mixture and mix in. Let the mixture come to a boil for a minute or so. Then add in the cooked noodles and crisped-up tofu and toss really well.
  7. Switch off the heat and toss again to coat all of the noodles and tofu with the sauce. Top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds and serve.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.