These noodles are yummy enough to make you cry. I was having a wicked noodle craving and I didn't want noodles with peanut sauce (too rich), and I did not have any ready-made sauce around. What evolved was fantastic! You will need:
2 tbsp sesame seeds (I use black sesames, but use whatever you want- almonds would probably be yummy too)
Soy sauce to taste
1 tbsp cooking oil of your choice (toasted sesame oil is probably best, but it's expensive and safflower oil fries just as well)
1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into bite sized pieces
1 package soba or whole wheat fettucini noodles
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
3 carrots, chopped
1 bunch dandelions or other yummy greenness, chopped
You can put any kind of vegetables that you like into this dish and it will be awesome: mushrooms, asparagus (the season is coming soon- AWESOME!), snow peas, whatever floats your boat.
For the sauce:
the juice of one lemon
1 tbsp soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminios
2 tbsp miso (I mix red miso with mugi miso, but it's all a matter of taste)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp diced ginger (if you have a garlic press, run your ginger through it, you will be thankful. Trust me.)
red pepper flakes to taste
So... You're ready to cook! Grab yourself a large wok or iron skillet, heat your oil to medium. Add your sesame seeds, onion and garlic. You might want to splash some soy sauce in at this point. Once your onions begin to sizzle, add your tofu and stir. Meanwhile, boil your noodles. I like to cook my tofu for as long as the noodles cook: it makes it crispy and yummy. You can splash some soy sauce in at this point for browning purposes. Add your carrots. When your noodles are done, strain them. In the strainer, drizzle them with soy sauce first and then some cooking oil. Add your noodles to your wok/skillet and stir well. While your noodles fry, mix together all of your sauce ingredients (don't forget to stir them, though). Miso is sometimes hard to dissolve, I stir it with a fork and that helps. When the sauce is ready, throw your greens into your noodles and stir well. Reduce heat to low and pour your sauce over your nooodles. Stir well and chow down. It's hard not to eat seconds and thirds.
I serve this with a generous side of steamed collards or kale. It is so so so yummy!!!!
