Soba Salad with Marinated Tofu, Mint and Scallions

For the soy dressing, combine Soy Sauce (4 Tbsp), Rice Vinegar (2 Tbsp), Mirin (2 Tbsp), Sesame Oil (1 1/2 Tbsp), Garlic (1 clove), Fresh Ginger (1 in), Sriracha (to taste) in a small bowl.

Add Granulated Sugar (1 tsp) and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (1/4 tsp). Stir to combine. Taste. Add more sugar and/or crushed red pepper flakes to taste. If you wish, add a splash of Sriracha (to taste). You can always add the Sriracha directly to the noodle salad, too.

To marinate the Firm Tofu (14 oz) , drain it for as much time as possible -- at least 30 minutes. Place block of tofu in a colander. Place the package (or some other similar-sized vessel) on top and weigh down with a can of tomatoes or something similar.

Remove tofu from colander or plate and dab it dry with paper towels. Lay the large surface of the block on a cutting board. With your knife parallel to the short side of the block, slice down every quarter or half inch.

After you have made four or five cuts, stack these slices on top of one another and cut again into strips about a quarter- or a half-inch thick.

Place tofu slices in flat-bottomed vessel. Pour marinade overtop to submerge. Let sit for at least an hour and for as long as overnight.

For the soba noodle salad, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add Soba Noodles (6 oz) to water and turn heat down so the water is gently simmering.

Boil 4 minutes (for dried) and about a minute (for fresh), drain and rinse under cold water using your hand to disperse the water evenly over the noodles — again, the noodles are delicate.

Let the noodles dry in a colander, and if need be, gently pat them dry with some paper towels. Meanwhile, mince the Scallions (to taste) and julienne the Fresh Mint (to taste).

At this point, you can serve the salad however you wish. Toss the noodles with the dressing so that the noodles are nicely coated. Divide noodles among bowls. Top each bowl with scallions, mint and tofu. Serve with Sriracha on the side. Enjoy!