Vermicelli Noodles With Turmeric And Tofu

Greg Powers for The Washington Post

This Vietnamese recipe is a simple way to get the colorful, nutritious benefit of turmeric into your dinner. Use fresh turmeric and Chinese chives for this if possible; find both in well-stocked grocery stores and Asian markets. If you can't find fresh turmeric, you can use the ground spice.

Either way, know that turmeric will stain, so wear an apron and use a nonporous cutting board and utensils.

When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.

Place the noodles in a large bowl, cover with hot water and soak until soft and pliable, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the noodles soak, wrap the tofu in towels, set it on a plate and set another small plate on top. Add a can of tomatoes or another weight to the top plate and press the tofu for 20 minutes. Unwrap, and slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce or tamari with a pinch of sugar. Add the tofu and turn to coat evenly.

If using the fresh turmeric, in a mortar and pestle, combine the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and smash it into a paste. Then, add 1 tablespoon water and stir to form a paste. If using dried, in a small bowl, add the turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the water, 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon and stir until well-combined.

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the tofu slices and stir-fry until they start to brown, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, scallions and jalapeño and stir-fry until the mushrooms soften, 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Stir in the turmeric paste and cook for 20 seconds, then toss in the chives (or the additional scallions and garlic) and stir-fry for an additional 20 to 30 seconds.

Stir in the drained noodles, the remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari, a pinch of sugar and the black pepper. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated and just heated through. (If any of the ingredients start to stick, add a little splash of hot water.)

Transfer to a platter or divide among dinner plates, and serve hot.

Adapted from "Vegetarian Viet Nam," by Cameron Stauch (W.W. Norton, 2018).

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