Press the tofu slab between paper towels until all the liquid has been absorbed and tofu is quite dry to touch. Cut tofu into thick batons (4cm X 2cm). Place in a large bowl along with cornflour, salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat the tofu evenly with the cornflour. Heat oil in a large ribbed or regular frying pan on medium-high heat. Add tofu pieces and pan fry for approximately 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally till evenly browned. Remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the dressing by combining soy sauce, cooking sake, mirin and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes. Add ginger and miso paste and mix well. Dressing can be stored in the fridge until ready to use (up to a week).
Prepare the noodles by dropping them in a pot of rapidly boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Rinse and drain several times under cold water until noodles are cool and each strand is silky and separated. Cover them in cold water until ready to use (this prevents them from sticking and getting stodgy).
Blanch green beans by cooking in boiling water for a few seconds until they turn a shade darker and then cooling them quickly in cold water. Slice them in half.
To assemble the salad, drain and add the noodles to the tofu in the large mixing bowl. Add carrot, cabbage, green beans, edamame and coriander. Add the dressing and mix well until everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
Salad will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Can be eaten cold, at room temperature, or slightly warmed.
Notes
Note 1 - Soba noodles are traditionally made with buckwheat flour and are gluten-free. But many brands add wheat to the noodles along with buckwheat. If gluten is an issue, make sure you read the ingredient list of the packeted noodles and buy ones that don't have wheat.Note 2 - If using frozen edamame beans, blanch them in boiling water for a few seconds and then remove and drain them before using them in your recipe.Make It Gluten-Free - Traditionally buckwheat noodles are gluten-free as they do not have any other flour in it besides buckwheat. The brand I use (pictured) has wheat along with buckwheat. If you can find pure buckwheat noodles and you make sure your soy sauce is gluten-free then you can make this dish gluten-free.Tofu - I buy firm organic tofu. It has a beautiful texture and flavour and renders really well to pan-frying. A couple of passes pressed between paper towels will make your tofu quite dry to touch. This is when you should add it to the bowl with cornflour and coat it completely and evenly before frying.Shelf Life - Cooked Noodles, Prepped Veggies & Tofu, Dressing can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to one day. Assembled salad keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days and can be reheated once.