D11 · Dinner · North-East India
Tofu and Vegetable Thukpa
The noodle soup of Sikkim and the Himalayan belt: whole-wheat noodles, vegetables and seared tofu in a ginger-garlic broth, warmed with timur (Sichuan pepper) and green chilli.
- Region
- Sikkim and the Himalayan region
- Diet
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Time, as written
- Prep 15 min · Cook 15 min · Total 30 min
- Serves
- 2 (one large bowl each)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Status
- Adaptation — tofu as the protein; whole-wheat noodles
- Good for
- Quick one-pot dinner, cold evenings
Nutrition
High protein| Per serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Sugars | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thukpa (complete one-bowl meal) | 375 | 23 g | 36 g | 14 g | 2 g | 10 g | 4 g | 6.5 g |
Headline figures are for the full plate as served, with its stated roti, rice or bhakri; the dish alone is shown in the table.
Tier: High protein. Noodle and tofu values from typical labels — verify against the brands used. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.
Values are estimates calculated from the listed ingredients and quantities (IFCT 2017 and product labels), not laboratory measurements. How the numbers were calculated.
Ingredients
Method
Cook noodles to packet instructions, about 1 minute short. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Sear tofu in 4 g oil in a non-stick pan until golden, 5–6 minutes. Remove.
In a pot, heat the remaining oil; add garlic, ginger and chillies for 30 seconds. Add tomato and cook 3 minutes until soft.
Add water, soy sauce and timur. Boil, then add the firmer vegetables (carrot, beans, cabbage) for 4 minutes and the mushrooms and spinach for 1 minute.
Divide noodles and tofu between two bowls; ladle the hot broth and vegetables over. Finish with spring onion, coriander and lemon.
Protein optimisation
- Where the protein comes from
- Tofu supplies 15 g per serving; whole-wheat noodles 5 g; vegetables 2 g.
- Boost
- Add 1 soft-boiled egg per bowl for an egg-inclusive version (+6 g protein, +72 kcal), or increase tofu to 300 g (+7.5 g protein, +70 kcal per serving).
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional
- Ladakhi thenthuk — replace noodles with hand-pulled flat pieces of whole-wheat dough cooked in the broth.
- Substitution
- Rice noodles and tamari for a gluten-free version.
- Storage
- Keep broth, noodles and tofu separately, 2 days refrigerated.
- Food safety
- Reheat broth until boiling before pouring over.
- Meal prep
- Good — broth base keeps 2 days.
Allergens
Soy, gluten (wheat noodles, soy sauce)
Labels: High protein · Quick · Dairy-free · Whey-free · No added sugar