16 minute read
Recipe
12 Farmville the Magazine Recipe
THAI-INSPIRED COLD NOODLE SALAD
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Colorful, unique and absolutely delicious, this Thai-inspired cold noodle salad with crispy glazed tofu would taste perfect during lunch in the garden.
A refreshing springtime recipe
Photos and recipe by Alexa Massey
Spring is finally here, and as the weather gets warmer and colorful flowers bloom, we begin to crave dishes that are a little lighter and more vibrant than those heavy stews and casseroles of winter.
In this month’s edition of Farmville the Magazine, I’m going to share with you my own personal recipe for a delicious, Thai-inspired cold noodle salad that is sure to be your next favorite meal prep or the star of a backyard BBQ.
In my kitchen, the salty-sweet, exciting flavors of Asian cuisine are an absolute staple. This dish, which I’ve perfected over the last two years, is a bit of a play on the traditional cold noodle salad. Delightfully refreshing and surprisingly healthy, this colorful creation features an amazing protein source of crispy glazed tofu and can easily be made vegan by the omission of fish sauce.
However, don’t let these ingredients scare you.
After you’ve pressed your tofu, a nice dusting of cornstarch and paprika will make the squares really crisp up in the pan.
If you’re not the tofu type, I’ve also included a modification that features grilled shrimp in place of the tofu. And while some of these ingredients may be a bit unfamiliar, everything in this recipe can be found in a local grocery store/international food aisle!
Now, without further adieu, let me introduce you to your new spring fave.
Ingredients: • 1 16 oz. package extra firm tofu, drained and pressed OR 16 oz. peeled and deveined shrimp • 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch • 1 tablespoon paprika • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 8.8 oz. package vermicelli rice noodles • 3 oz. package zesty sprouts/microgreens mix • 1 red bell pepper, sliced • 1 green apple, sliced • 1-1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots • 4 green onions • Jalapeno, sliced • 1/4 cup fresh torn mint • 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro • Salt and pepper, to taste
(For glaze) • 1 tablespoon brown sugar • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (ground chili paste) • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
(For dressing) • 1/4 cup soy sauce • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice • 1 tablespoon sesame oil • 1 dash fish sauce • 1 teaspoon grated ginger • 1 pinch sugar
(For garnish) • Chopped peanuts • Sesame seeds
To make this multicultural masterpiece, begin by preparing your protein of choice. If using tofu, drain the tofu package and cut the tofu into even squares, approximately ½ an inch thick and 1 inch wide. Once your tofu is cut, it is extremely important to “press” the tofu in order to rid the product of excess moisture which can prevent it from crisping up in the pan. People who eat tofu regularly often own a tofu press specifically for this purpose, but we can make our own makeshift press with a few common items lying around the kitchen.
To press the tofu, lay down 3-4 layers of paper towel on a large cutting board. Place the tofu squares on top of the paper towels and place another 3-4 paper towels on top of the tofu. Place another cutting board or flat surface on top of the paper towel-covered tofu and add on a few heavy items such as casserole dishes or books in order to press the squares down. Leave your tofu like this for thirty minutes to an hour, changing the paper towels half-way through the process, until most of the water has been drained from the tofu.
After the tofu is properly pressed, add it to a large bowl or casserole dish and throw in your cornstarch and paprika, mixing until the tofu is completely covered. This cornstarch is what will give our tofu a crispy layer of goodness after frying.
Next, add two tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large pan set to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, drop in your tofu and cook for approximately 3 minutes per side. You will know the tofu is ready to flip when the bottom is nice and golden-crispy.
While your tofu is frying, mix together your soy sauce, Sambal Oelek, grated ginger and brown sugar to form your glaze. Once the tofu is crispy on all sides, throw in the glaze and gently toss your tofu. Once coated, continue cooking your tofu for another three minutes or until the glaze has thickened and is a beautiful, sticky sauce. Place your tofu on a plate and set aside.
If opting for grilled shrimp in place of tofu, add 1 tablespoon of oil to your pan with the stove set to medium-high. After patting your shrimp dry, add them to the pan and cook for two to three minutes on either side until pink, seasoning gently with some salt, pepper and paprika. Shrimp cooks fast, so be careful not to overcook them!
If you’d like crispy shrimp, you can prepare the shrimp in the same paprika-cornstarch mixture as described above. If you’d like to add the same yummy glaze we used on the tofu to the shrimp, simply do so right after flipping the shrimp.
Shrimp cooks in just minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on it!
Once your tofu or shrimp are cooked, boil your vermicelli rice noodles per the package instructions. If you can’t find the vermicelli noodles, angel-hair pasta is a great substitute and will also hold up better if you plan on using this recipe as a meal prep throughout the week. Once the noodles are cooked, rinse them thoroughly in cold water before adding to a large bowl.
While your noodles are cooking, prepare the veggies and herbs for your cold noodle salad. To do this, thinly slice one red bell pepper and one fresh green apple. Add one sliced and seeded jalapeno pepper and 1-1 ½ cups matchstick carrots.
Cut off the “bulb,” or white portion, of your green onions and slice them lengthwise for a big punch of flavor in the salad. You’ll notice most of our veggies are being sliced into long, thin strips to blend well with the noodles. Slice the “stalks,” or green ends of the onions, horizontally and reserve for garnish. Coarsely chop ¼ cup of fresh cilantro.
Add your red pepper, apple, jalapeno, carrots, green onion bulbs and cilantro to the bowl with your noodles. Measure out approximately ¼ cup of fresh mint leaves and add them to your bowl, tearing the leaves into smaller bits as you do so.
Add your package of zesty sprouts to the bowl. While sprouts are in season this time of year, the type of sprouts available will depend on your grocery store. Look for “zesty sprouts” or “spicy microgreens” which both go well in this dish. If you can’t find either, canned mung beans from the international section of your grocery store will be a good replacement.
Whisk together the remaining soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, grated ginger, sugar and fish sauce to form your dressing. (Note: While fish sauce may sound scary to those who have never tried it, have no fear! This unique cooking ingredient is found in a variety of Thai dishes and adds a perfect bit of funk to your food. It creates a depth of flavor we just can’t achieve without it. However, add too much and your dish will taste like feet! One dash, or about three drops, should do the trick.)
If you are making the tofu version of this recipe, omitting the fish sauce means your dish is now vegan-friendly. If you’re making this meal for a vegan friend or family member, just make sure to check the rest of your ingredients to ensure no animal products are sneaking in.
Add your dressing to the salad and toss the mixture until well combined. Before serving, top the salad with your shrimp or crispy tofu, the top slices of your green onion, some sesame seeds and some chopped peanuts.
And there you have it! I love this cold noodle salad because it is overflowing with flavor and contains a rainbow of healthy, crunchy veggies that leave you feeling refreshed after your meal. This dish tastes great and makes you feel good after eating it, and if you’ve never tried some of the unique ingredients in this recipe, now’s a great chance to give them a whirl.
This recipe should make 5-6 generous portions of this delicious cold noodle salad which clocks in at about 460 calories per serving. As the name suggests, the salad is best served cold.
Keeping Farmville fed
Husband and wife duo lead FACES Food Pantry
Story by Alexa Massey Photos courtesy of FACES Food Pantry
Through the love of Christ and a passion for helping others, a local couple now serves as the head of an organization whose selfless and hardworking volunteers ensure no community members go hungry.
Paul and Joanna Baker currently serve as co-presidents of the local FACES Food Pantry, a nonprofit which distributes food to thousands of people in need each week. This month, the Bakers sat down with Farmville the Magazine to discuss their calling to the organization and how residents can help FACES to make a difference in the area.
The couple met in 1982 at Francis Marion College while Paul was doing an internship as part of the requirements for his graduate degree at The University of Georgia. Joanna was working at the college, her alma mater, when Paul arrived in South Carolina.
“It took me nearly the entire summer to work up the courage to ask her out,” Paul laughed, “... and she said ‘yes!’”
The next year, Paul and Joanna were married and moved to Farmville as newlyweds where they would remain for 30 years.
Paul, who grew up in Indiana and received his undergraduate degree there, came to Virginia via Ohio and Georgia, two states where he attended graduate school and also worked. His first career was in higher education, the majority of which was spent working at the local Hampden-Sydney
College. He would later begin a second career as a pastor at the United Methodist Church.
Joanna, originally from South Carolina, spent three decades serving in various roles at Longwood University.
The duo would temporarily leave Farmville in 2011 when Paul was serving as a full-time pastor, but the Bakers returned to Farmville in 2019 upon Paul’s retirement. Together they have one daughter, Elizabeth, who attended Prince Edward County Public Schools. They also have a granddaughter, McKenna, age two.
According to the Bakers, it would be the couple’s connection with God which would ultimately lead them to their roles with FACES Food Pantry, an organization they’ve been involved with since the mid-nineties.
FACES, according to Joanna and Paul, was founded in 1981 and incorporated in 1989 by a group of local people with the mission of distributing food to local families in need. Farmville United Methodist Church was one of the group’s founding organizations, and the Bakers often volunteered for the
Top, Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority from Longwood University are faithful FACES volunteers as they strive to support their national philanthropic effort to end hunger. Above, FACES Vice President for Operations Bobby Eiban shares a smile while unloading the Feed More truck. (Photo by Jordan Fields)
nonprofit’s Saturday distribution.
After returning to Farmville in 2019, the Bakers were approached about engaging with FACES once more. Joanna agreed to coordinate the group’s school backpack program, a weekly program which provides weekend meals for identified students at local elementary and middle schools. Paul stepped in as the individual in charge of registration for the pantry’s clients.
In the fall of 2020, the Bakers were asked to serve as co-presidents of the organization. They were elected to the position in January of 2021 and have served in the role ever since.
Together, the Bakers help facilitate the crucial work being done by FACES, which has evolved into one of the largest food pantry operations in Virginia. The pantry’s main distribution center is located in Farmville, and a second center, known as County Line FACES (CLF) can be found in Abilene. Between the two centers, FACES distributes vital food each week to an average of 890 households representing more than 2,090 individuals carefully screened to document need.
In addition to the food distributions, FACES also provides the school backpack program for students at Prince Edward County Public Schools. The organization also partners with the local Lions Club to stock the pantry at the high school.
FACES also operates a program in conjunction with STEPS, Inc. which identifies temporarily homeless individuals in Prince Edward County and houses those individuals at local motels. The food pantry offers a weekly box of food to those individuals until they can get back on their feet.
It’s an extremely rewarding role that also comes with many challenges. According to the Bakers, one of the biggest difficulties FACES has been met with in recent years was the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the area. The job losses and other financial pressures caused by health issues associated with the pandemic meant the number of people seeking assistance from the food pantry grew by more than 50%.
As a result of increased demand, FACES Food Pantry changed the way volunteers interacted with clients. Pre-pandemic, those served by the organization came into the building and made their way through a line to receive food. When the pandemic occurred, FACES volunteers switched to a drive-thru system in which clients remain in their cars while volunteers load carts and take the food outside and load it into clients’
Left, Joanna and Paul Baker pose for a photo at the 2022 Longwood Gala. Below, former FACES President Ellery Sedgwick, left, and Allen Harris take a break from volunteering to pose for a photo.
vehicles.
During the pandemic, food requests for the children’s backpack program also increased by more than 100%, and virtual schooling meant volunteers began distributing those bags on Saturdays as well.
“Another increased need has been providing food for the homeless,” the Bakers noted.
FACES and its dedicated board of directors plus hundreds of volunteers are constantly rising to meet the given challenges of running such a large and important operation with several moving parts, working to assure that those who can benefit from the pantry’s services are aware of them and how to qualify for different programs.
Of course, being part of such an invaluable organization comes with many rewards. It is perhaps FACES’ own motto, “neighbors helping neighbors,” which best speaks to what the food pantry is all about. With so many people giving their time and effort to help others get the resources they need, it’s a humbling sight.
“And the people we serve are such good people,” Paul noted. “I look forward to seeing our clients every Saturday morning. They offer good cheer and wisdom that make me a better person.”
“The best part of FACES is definitely the people involved,” Joanna agreed. “Whether they are board members, volunteers, clients or clientvolunteers, together they form a wonderful and caring community.”
The Bakers love the people and the community that they serve, and it is the church which helped lead the Bakers to this calling.
“As a pastor, I want people to get to know the Jesus I know,” Paul said, “and so I am reminded that it was Jesus who said that we serve him whenever we reach out to help the one who is hungry or thirsty. FACES gives me the chance to serve Jesus every day, and the organization demonstrates daily that God is love.”
“Love like Jesus. Serve like Jesus,” Joanna added.
When asked about exciting plans for the future, Joanna and Paul noted FACES is fortunate to partner with FEEDMORE, the regional food bank for Southside Virginia. The partnership enables FACES to purchase food at greatly discounted prices.
“Still, there are times when FEEDMORE cannot obtain as much fresh, unprocessed food as we would prefer,” they noted. “We are excited at the prospects that may emerge as a result of a recent grant from the Centra Foundation. This grant gives FACES monies to purchase additional fresh products from FEEDMORE as they are available and to enter into contracts with local farms to obtain more fresh vegetables, dairy, and poultry products. We hope the Centra seed money will lead to ongoing funding for such efforts into the future so that the overall quality of the food our clients receive is better and better.”
If you’re wondering how you can contribute to the organization, there are several immediate needs that donations can be used to help with.
As Paul and Joanna highlighted, now that FACES has its own building as well as a satellite location in Abilene, it requires additional financial resources to cover expenses for things like utilities, maintenance, insurance, etc. The group has established a goal of building an endowment to cover these expenses in order to ensure the money people give during the pantry’s annual fundraising campaign goes solely to the cost of food.
The current challenges in the supply chain, they added, affect every aspect of food distribution, so canned food drives are especially welcome. The group is also seeking funding for a sign for the new warehouse that serves as the home of FACES.
And, notably, FACES Food Pantry is always looking for volunteers to unload food, pack bags, and help with Friday deliveries and Saturday distributions. FACES has volunteer options at the Farmville location on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and volunteers are needed at the group’s Abilene location on Thursdays and Saturdays.
“As our manual puts it, ‘FACES is an expression of the greater Farmville community that created it and sustains it,’” the couple stated. “We truly are neighbors helping neighbors and, to our way of thinking, there is no better use of our time, skills, and resources than working together toward that time when no one will go hungry or thirsty in Farmville. So, FACES can use the skills and resources of everyone in our area.”
For those who want to help, a sign-up genius link can be found on the FACES website at facesfoodpantry.com. Additionally, the organization is looking for individuals who can commit to regular weekly volunteer time. Those interested in volunteering can email FACEs at facesboard6@ gmail.com
“FACES is indebted to so, so many people throughout our community,” the duo added. “We are grateful for this opportunity to express our most heartfelt thanks to everyone who make our work so successful: to all our volunteers, to those who strike checks or donate on-line, to those who donate food, to those who advance ideas about how we can do what we do better…thank you, thank you, thank you!”
