Charred Kale and “Meat”balls over Coconut Noodles

This noodle dish is the perfect thing for a quick, cozy evening to yourself. It’s got the salt, acid, and heat to keep you feeling full and satisfied. The spicy “meatballs” go perfectly with the crispy, soy sauced kale, and are both balanced out by the creamy garlic coconut noodles.

Vegan Meatballs: Binding Agents

Most vegan meatballs do their best to taste like ground beef, usually ending up tough and chewy, as well as crumbly and overall unsatisfying to eat. The meatballs we’ve taken the time to develop aren’t trying to be beef or any other meat. They’re just moist, flavour bombs that happen to look a lot like traditional meatballs.

Our meatballs, made with tofu, are spicy and garlicy in the most satisfying way. The reason most vegan meatballs are crumbly is usually because they lack a binding agent. In beef meatballs, that binding agent takes to form of egg yolks in order to help the ball keep its form. Obviously, eggs are not vegan. But tomatoes are!

Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid

Tomatoes are one of the most commonly used plant-based binding agents out there. It’s found holding together dishes everywhere from ratatouille to tomato sauce. This is because tomatoes are very high in Vitamin C which is a reducing agent that donates electrons to recipient molecules. Because it is also water soluble and non-enzymatic antioxidant, it works with the molecules around it to create strong bonds.

In the body, we use this property to protect our more precious molecules, like proteins , lipids(fats), carbs, DNA, and RNA from reactive oxygen species because of Vitamin C’s high antioxidant content. We also use it to produce more collagen. And unlike our ancestors, we cannot produce Vitamin C on our own.

In cooking, the strong bonds the Vitamin C creates with the molecules around it are responsible for its strong binding properties.

We’re going to use this property to our advantage in order to finally make vegan meatballs that actually hold together!

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Charred Kale & "Meat"balls over Coconut Noodles

Simone Peironnet | 8/6/2021

• prep time: 10
  
• cook time: 20
  
• total time: 30 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients: Meatballs

• 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu
  
• 5 Tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
  
• 3 Tbsp Sriracha
  
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  
• 1 Tbsp Gochujang, aka Korean Chili Paste
  
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
  
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Thai Basil
  
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro
  
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
  
• Pinch of Salt
  

Ingredients: Charred Kale

• 1 Small Bunch Kale
  
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  
• 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
  
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Chili Oil (recipe)
  
• 1 Tbsp Honey OR Brown Sugar
  

Ingredients: Coconut Noodles

• 8oz Ramen Noodles
  
• 1 Tbsp Butter OR Coconut Oil
  
• 5 Cloves Garlic, minced
  
• 1 Tsp Red Chili Flakes
  
• 1 Can Coconut Milk
  
• Pinch of Salt
  
• 1 Lime, for garnish
  
• Chopped Thai Basil, for garnish
  
• Chopped Cilantro, for garnish
  
• 1 Tbsp, Garlic Chili Oil (recipe)
  

Drink Suggestion: Coconut Water

Special Equipment: Baking tray, Griddle Pan

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Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C.
   

2. Rinse your kale and chop roughly. In a medium bowl, add your soy sauce, garlic chili oil, honey or brown sugar, and rice vinegar. Mix until combined, then add in your kale. Toss until your kale is coated in your sauce.
   

3. On a lined baking tray, spread out your kale so that there's little to no overlap of the leaves. Pour any additional marinade over the kale. Set aside.
   

4. In a separate medium bowl, mash your tofu using a potato masher, forks, hands, or whatever else you have on hand. Once it's mashed and looking somewhat like ground meat, add in the rest of your meatball ingredients. Using a spoon, gently mix everything until evenly combined.
   

5. Lightly flour your hands and take a large tablespoon scoop of your meatball mixture and form into a ball. Continue until you run out of mixture.
   

6. In a medium pan over medium heat, add a splash of canola oil. Once your oil is up to temp, add in your meatballs. Allow to brown for around 3 minutes or until golden brown,gently keep them moving to get even browning. Remove from the heat and bake in your preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add kale to the oven after 5 minutes.
   

   
   

7. While your meatballs are baking, boil water for your noodles and cook your noodles to their packet specifications. Drain and rinse in cold water once cooked, then set aside.
   

8. In your medium pan used for the meatballs, add a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil and allow to melt. Once melted and up to temp, add your minced garlic until lightly browned, about 2 minutes, then add your red pepper flakes for 30 seconds. Pour in your can of coconut milk and let simmer for 5 minutes, agitating continually. Add a pinch of salt and stir in.
   

9. Take your noodles and add into your coconut sauce, stirring until they're well coated and the sauce is clinging to them.
   

10. In your serving bowls, divide the noodles. Top with your charred kale and meatballs. Squeeze a generous amount of lime juice on top of each. Garnish with cilantro, thai basil, and garlic chili oil. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Want to show your never-ending love for noodles? No problem!

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