This has been one of my Chinese-restaurant-favorites since childhood. Forget dim sum; my favorite thing to eat was pan-fried egg noodles, topped with a glistening, gelatinous mound of meat and vegetables. I love the contrast of textures: there are the crispy, slightly burnt edges of the noodles, and the soft, sauce-soaked part of the noodles. My CSA bok choy was perfect for this too: crunchy stems and tender leaves that weren't bitter. Here's my non-restaurant version of this noodle dish, with tofu (instead of what my dad calls “grade-F beef beaten to death with a meat tenderizer”) and a lot less shine (less oil, way less corn starch).
- 12 oz Hong Kong style noodles (I used Twin Marquis brand)
- 1 small head of bok choy
- 8 oz extra-firm, baked, or fried tofu
- 10 medium shiitake mushrooms (about 3 oz)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 inch segment of ginger, peeled and minced finely (about 1 tsp)
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic chives
for the sauce:
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2/3 c vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water (use a little more soy sauce if you use water)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- Slice tofu and bok choy into thin strips. Remove stems from mushrooms, and clean them by gently scrubbing with a damp paper towel or a soft vegetable brush. Slice into thin strips.
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Heat a couple teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add noodles and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5-10 minutes on each side. You may have to do this in batches. Twin Marquis noodles are already cooked, so all I had to do was pan fry them in a non-stick skillet, over medium heat, with a little oil and a little water.
- Meanwhile, heat some oil over medium-high heat in a wok or wok-like cooking vessel (you could even use a large, deep skillet or saute pan). Add ginger, cook for about 30 seconds. Add tofu, and stir-fry for a minute or two. Add garlic, mushrooms, and bok choy. Stir fry for another few minutes.
- Combine all sauce ingredients, making sure to dissolve the corn starch. Add to vegetable mixture. Add garlic chives. Stir to coat, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for a few minutes, until the sauce thickens. Spoon over fried noodles, and serve.
tags: can be vegetarian, vegan, pareve
source: http://www.seasonal-eats.com/2007/06/crispy-pan-fried-noodles.html