Thai Tofu Noodle Soup

I haven't been vegetable gardening for long, and this spring was the first time I planted my garden from seeds instead of buying plants. It was also the first time I planted basil in the garden, instead of in pots. I planted the whole seed packet and ended up with tons of the stuff. I've been looking for creative ways to use it up ever since. It will be a month or two before it gets cold here, so I'm not ready to make pesto from it yet. One happy discovery: If you alternate between using fresh basil in Italian recipes and Asian ones, you don't get tired of it.

Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes (and her co-host Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen) requested noodle soups and salads for No Croutons Required this month. I wanted to make a Thai-style soup and use some of my basil. So, I made a list of ingredients I wanted to include in my soup, and then used a handful of recipes on the internet as guides. This hit the spot!

Thai Tofu Noodle Soup

7 ounces tofu (more or less - whatever 1/2 a package is for you)
1 teaspoon oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons prepared lemongrass*
1 heaping teaspoon minced ginger
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
juice of 1 lime (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)
2 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 cup canned straw mushrooms
7 ounces wide rice noodles (i.e. half a package)

Garnishes:
1 or 2 jalapeños , thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
2 green onions, white and green part, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Bake on an oiled baking sheet for 20-30 minutes, turning once or twice, until tofu is chewy and golden.

Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté garlic, lemongrass, and ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add broth, coconut milk, lime juice and soy sauce to taste. Simmer over low heat, covered, until the tofu is done.

Add the tofu cubes, straw mushrooms and noodles. Simmer uncovered until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes.

Serve with the garnishes on the side.

Serves 4.

Note: If you have leftovers, be aware that the noodles will absorb all of the broth and get very soft in the refrigerator overnight. You might like this; I didn't.

*Here is a tutorial on preparing lemongrass. You will probably need 2 small or 1 large stalk for this recipe. (I bought prepared frozen lemongrass at the Asian market, a great time-saver.)