Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for kimchi tofu noodles with chilli peanuts | Quick and easy

. UK edition

Two bowls of noodles with tofu, peanuts and red sauce on a blue tablecloth.
Rukmini Iyer’s kimchi tofu noodles with chilli peanuts. Photograph: Phoebe Pearson/The Guardian. Food styling: Hanna Miller. Prop styling: Louie Waller. Food styling assistant: Isobel Clarke.

Simple and spicy, this dish is adaptable enough to become a firm favourite with all the family – and it will fill lunchboxes the next day, too

This is one of those rare dishes that I can make both for us and for the children – reserving the kimchi topping and chilli peanuts for the adults, of course. I also like to add the kimchi just before serving for freshness (this helps to keep all the good stuff in it from deactivating, too). Leftovers are excellent in lunchboxes the next day, so it’s well worth making the full quantity and popping the excess in the fridge.

Kimchi tofu noodles with chilli peanuts

Prep 15 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4

2 tbsp sesame or neutral oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
3cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
280g firm tofu, cut into 1½cm cubes
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
½ sweetheart cabbage, cut into ½cm-thick slices
2 150g packets straight-to-wok udon
2 tbsp soy sauce

For the chilli peanuts
1 tbsp butter, or sesame oil
40g salted peanuts
½ tsp chilli flakes

For the topping
2-4 tbsp kimchi, finely chopped
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

Put the oil in a large frying pan on a low heat, add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the tofu, stirring gently to coat it in the oil, then turn up the heat to medium and fry the tofu for two minutes. Flip the cubes and fry on the other side for another two minutes, until lightly golden brown.

Add the turmeric and salt, stir-fry for another minute, then scatter in the sliced cabbage. Add two tablespoons of boiling water, then cover and leave to steam for three minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small frying pan, add the peanuts and fry for a minute. Stir in the chilli flakes, take off the heat and leave to cool.

Add the noodles to the cabbage and tofu pan, and gently stir-fry for two minutes, until the noodles are cooked through. Add the soy sauce, stir well, then taste and add salt, if required.

Divide the noodles and tofu between four bowls, then top with the kimchi, chilli peanuts and sliced spring onions. (Alternatively, make up just two bowls, and save the rest for lunch the next day.)