Most people who know me know that I prefer spicy food with bold flavors, and that's the kind of food I tend to cook. This recipe is an exception.
Yakisoba, a dish that became popular as a street food in Japan, features a stir-fried mountain of splendidly chewy noodles flavored with a hint of salty and a hint of sweet. It's also quick and easy to cook, so whether you're a fan of spicy food or not, you should give it a try. If it turns out you can't live without the spice, you can always douse it with Sriracha.
The first step is to fry up some tofu. This time we're using a dense and meaty variant called dry spiced tofu.
The veggies are next to be stir-fried. They include ginger, onion, carrot and cabbage. Then comes the part of the dish that yakisoba is named after: fried noodles. Noodle connoisseurs will note that I'm using the wrong type of noodles in the picture above. This is because my local Asian market has a very limited selection of Japanese ingredients and I often find myself having to improvise. Another great thing about this dish is how flexible it is.
After the noodles are fried up, they get covered in a sauce made from vegan worcestershire, soy sauce and mirin. Then everything is tossed together (I recommend using a pair of kitchen tongs) and it's ready to eat. If you want to be authentic, try topping it with some nori flakes and red pickled ginger (or sushi ginger if your Asian market sucks at Japanese food).
Tofu Yakisoba
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
12 ounces yakisoba, chuka or ramen noodles, flavorings
discarded (some might have egg, so check the label)
1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 pound dry spiced tofu, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 small onion, sliced
1 pound Napa cabbage, sliced
3 carrots, grated
Serve with: nori flakes or strips and red pickled ginger
Directions
- Boil noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Whisk together vegan Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in large wok or pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and stir fry 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Move to a large bowl.
- Heat 1 more tablespoon of oil in the wok and turn the heat up to high. Add the ginger and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the onion and cook 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the cabbage and carrots and stir fry 3 minutes or until tender. Move the vegetables into the bowl with the tofu.
- Heat the last tablespoon of oil in the wok and add the noodles. Fry for 5-6 minutes or until barely crisp, but not hard. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and stir to combine.
- Toss the noodles with the veggies and tofu. Serve sprinkled with nori flakes or strips and red pickled ginger.