Chilled Tofu Ribbon Salad with Cucumber and Cilantro

1. Prepare the tofu ribbons

Separate and cut the tofu sheets into wide strips, then slice these strips into ⅛-inch-thick ribbons.

2. Blanch the tofu

Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Add the tofu noodles and blanch them for about 2 minutes, or until the water returns to a boil. Once blanched, rinse the tofu under cold water, drain it well, and squeeze out any excess water.

3. Combine main ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the tofu noodles, julienned cucumber, and cilantro. Place the thinly sliced scallion whites, dried red chile segments, and minced garlic on top of the tofu mixture.

4. Heat the vegetable oil

Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan until it is nearly smoking, which should take about 2 minutes. Carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatics in the bowl. You should hear a loud sizzle as the hot oil releases the fragrance and flavors of the scallions, chiles, and garlic.

5. Season the salad

Season the salad with soy sauce, rice vinegar, kosher salt, sugar, chili oil, and toasted sesame oil. Toss everything together to ensure the tofu and vegetables are well coated with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding a bit more vinegar, sugar, or salt to balance the flavors to your liking.

6. Garnish and serve

Finally, sprinkle the salad with toasted sesame seeds for a lovely garnish and serve immediately.