Ingredients:
For the instant peanut sauce:
3/4 cuppeanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
3 tablespoonskecap manis (see tips above)
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed, or 1 teaspoon garlic paste
2 teaspoonsfresh ginger, peeled and grated or ginger paste (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoonssambal oelek or sriracha, to taste
2 teaspoonstamarind paste or the juice of ½ lime, plus more to taste
For the vermicelli tofu salad:
4 ouncesdried rice vermicelli noodles
1/3 cupfrozen edamame beans, shelled (soybeans)
5 ouncessmoked or marinated tofu, patted dry and cut into ¾-inch cubes
2/3 cupbean sprouts (optional)
1 avocado, skin removed, pitted, and cut into wedges
1 (1 ½-inch) piece English cucumber, halved lengthways, seeded and sliced
Kecap manis, for drizzling (see tips above)
2 tablespoonscrispy fried onions (optional; store-bought are fine)
Lime wedges, to serve
1/4 medium-heat red chile, sliced diagonally (optional; seed if you prefer less heat)
Shrimp chips or root vegetable chips, to serve
Directions:
Make the instant peanut sauce: Put a kettle on (or boil a large pot of water). Put the peanut butter, kecap manis, garlic, ginger (if using), sambal, and tamarind or lime juice in a heatproof bowl. Add ¼ cup hot boiling water and stir with a fork until combined. It can look split at first, but keep stirring until homogenized. Peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so loosen the sauce with water to a thick pourable consistency for serving, if needed.
Read the dried vermicelli noodle packet instructions to see if they need to be cooked on the stovetop or submerged in boiling water. If they cook when submerged, put them in a large heatproof bowl along with the edamame beans, beansprouts (if using) and tofu cubes. Pour boiling hot water over everything until submerged, then leave to sit for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked and the tofu and edamame are warmed through, then drain.
If the noodles don’t cook when submerged and have a required cook time, follow the package instructions to cook and drain the noodles. Put the kettle on again to soak the edamame beans, beansprouts (if using) and tofu cubes in a heatproof bowl, as above.
Divide the peanut sauce between two serving bowls. Put the noodles on top, along with the edamame beans, bean sprouts (if using), avocado, tofu and cucumber. Drizzle generously with kecap manis, then garnish with the chips, fried onions, lime wedges and chile slices. Serve immediately.