Vegan Ramen Bowls

One 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu

½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for the noodle cooking water

8 to 9 ounces dried ramen noodles (may substitute udon or soba noodles)

5 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed

¾ cup hoisin sauce

8 ounces (2½ cups) shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

1 bunch (about 12 ounces) baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon curry powder

4 cups no-salt-added store-bought or homemade vegetable broth

One 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk (may substitute light coconut milk)

3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish

2 tablespoons Sriracha (optional; may substitute another hot sauce of your choice)

Wrap the tofu in several layers of paper towels, place on a plate, put another plate on top, and put a large can of tomatoes or another heavy object on the plate, and let the tofu drain for at least 20 minutes. Unwrap it, and cut it into bite-size cubes.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook them according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the tofu cubes and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden and crisped. Add more oil as needed if much of the oil gets absorbed. Once the tofu is cooked, pour out any excess oil. Reduce the heat to low, add the hoisin sauce, and turn the tofu to coat and glaze it evenly.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Once it shimmers, add the mushrooms and bok choy; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and the bok choy has wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until fragrant, for 1 minute. Add the broth and coconut milk; once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Taste, and add more salt, as needed. Add the cooked noodles and stir until heated through.

Serve right away, before the noodles absorb too much broth and thicken. Ladle the broth and noodles into bowls and top each serving with scallions, sesame seeds and the glazed tofu. Top each portion with a squirt or two of Sriracha, if desired. The cooked noodles and the tofu can be refrigerated for up to 1 week (separately); do not freeze. The rest of the soup (without the noodles and the tofu) can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Serves 6 to 8 (makes 12 cups)

Nutrition | Per serving (based on 8, using 9 ounces ramen and 3 tablespoons oil): 370 calories, 9 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 860 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 18 g sugar

Adapted from "Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy, Vegan," by Chloe Coscarelli (Clarkson Potter, 2018).