Pineapples have just started to come into season and appear in our supermarkets. These pineapple vermicelli rice noodles are a sweet, savory, (slightly) spicy way to get your pineapple fix this summer.

They’re delicious served along with sesame-crusted tofu for a delightful nuttiness and a healthy dose of protein.

I love pineapple in savory Asian-style dishes, it’s especially great in Thai curries, but I’ve also used it in a number of Chinese-style dishes like sweet and sour tofu to add not only sweetness but texture as well.

This pineapple vermicelli rice noodles dish is based on a recipe I have adapted from The Chinese Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein.

This book offers over 225 recipes from the many culinary regions of china and is a great resource for anyone who loves Chinese food as much as I do.

Beyond pineapple, this simple dish needs just a few basic ingredients. There is, of course, rice vermicelli, the ubiquitous ginger and garlic, soy sauce, (optional) chili pepper, and green onions.

You may notice something purple in my stir fry - that is, in fact, my green onion. I have a small urban garden and planted these purple scallions from Renee’s Garden Seeds.

I adore these purple-bulb onions to pretty-up my dishes. They give a great colour contrast to the pineapple and look how pretty this orange and ginger-glazed tofu is with a splash of purple.

When it comes to cooking rice vermicelli, you need to take a bit of care. Common problems are the noodles breaking into little bits or sticking together in lumps, so it’s good to inform yourself on how to cook vermicelli rice noodles before you begin.

Firstly, it’s important not to boil the noodles. You can soak them in cold water for a long period of time or pour hot water over them and they’ll be al dente in a matter of minutes. Check them frequently because you don’t want them to go anywhere past just al dente.

Rinse them in cold water and set aside to drain. Now you can get on with stir frying your other ingredients. As this website notes, if you try and stir fry the noodles together with lots of veggies, they’re guaranteed to stick to the pan so don’t to that.

Once your veggies are stir fried, add your sauce and finally the noodles back to the pan to warm up.

Vegetable Singapore Noodles is another recipe using vermicelli rice noodles flavoured with soy sauce and mild curry powder so if you like this sweet and spicy pineapple recipe, be sure to check out my Singapore noodles!

Pineapple Vermicelli Rice Noodles

Yield: Serves 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

These pineapple vermicelli rice noodles are a sweet, savory, (slightly) spicy way to get your pineapple fix this summer.

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Ingredients

For the sesame tofu

• 200 grams (7 oz) extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• A pinch of salt
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil

For the pineapple vermicelli rice noodles

• 200 grams (7 oz) vermicelli rice noodles
• 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ tablespoon oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 hot red chili pepper or ½ teaspoon chili flakes or chili paste (optional and to taste)
• 2 green onions, white parts sliced and green parts cut into matchsticks
• ¾ cup pineapple juice (if you’ve got a fresh pineapple, puree a chunk and strain it or squeeze it through a cheesecloth for fresh juice)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups pineapple, diced
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

For the sesame tofu

1. Drain and press the tofu under something heavy for at least 30 minutes. Cut into slices about 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) thick. On a small plate mix together the cornstarch, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Press both sides of the tofu sliced into the sesame seed mixture until coated.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry the tofu until golden brown on each side. Be careful not to over-fry or it will become dry and tough. Set aside to drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

For the pineapple vermicelli rice noodles

1. Soak the dry vermicelli rice noodles in warm water until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to drain well.
2. In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Wipe out any remaining sesame seeds from the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add ½ tablespoon of oil, the ginger, garlic, chili pepper and white parts of the green onion. Stir fry until soft and fragrant – about 30 seconds. Add the green parts of the green onion, pineapple juice and salt and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 1 minute then add the soy sauce-cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until the sauce is thickened – about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the pineapple chunks, vermicelli rice noodles and sesame oil. Toss well to combine and cook for a minute or two until heated through.
4. Reheat the tofu if necessary and serve alongside the noodles.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 718Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2348mgCarbohydrates: 103gFiber: 9gSugar: 29gProtein: 24g

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