Vietnamese Noodle Salad

For the tofu marinade:
Cut the white part of the lemon grass stalks into small pieces and place into a food processor (or blender) and pulse. Add salt, sugar, shallot, garlic and Chinese Five Star spice (available in larger grocery stores or Asian specialty stores) and continue to pulse into a thick paste-like consistency. Place paste into a large bowl and add oil. Stir until fully combined. Cut tofu into long strips. Rub marinade paste on all sides of the tofu and let it sit in the bowl for 30 minutes.

For the salad:
While tofu is marinating, cook vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Rinse and drain when fully cooked. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and then slice into bite size pieces (forming half moons). Set all of the salad veggies aside.

For the grilled tofu:
Heat a grill pan or grill to medium. Cook marinated tofu until grill marks are visible and tofu is cooked through (approximately 4-5 minutes each side) . Let cool and slice into bite size pieces.

For the dressing:
While the tofu is cooking, combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.

Add noodles, veggies (carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, bean sprouts), herbs (cilantro, basil, mint) and tofu into a salad bowl. Top with peanuts if desired. Spoon dressing over salad.

For a little extra heat..add a dash or two of Sriracha sauce (Thai chili sauce—available in most grocery stores).