Beijing Hot Noodles

I saw this recipe while looking through a cookbook on Food Trucks. It is a new e-cookbook offered through epicurious. I found it online at serious eats.

• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 green onions, minced (more if they are small)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup ground bean sauce (you can find this at Talin Market)
• 1 (12-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 1 tablespoon chile oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
• 1/2 pound or less rice vermicelli noodles, soaked
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced

 Heat the oil in a wok or heavy, deep sauté pan over high heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the green onions and ground pork and cook until the pork is browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground bean sauce, tofu, chile oil, salt, and sugar and toss to coat, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the sesame oil and pepper, stir, and turn off the heat.

Divide the lo mein noodles among individual plates, place the cucumber alongside, and top the noodles with the pork and tofu mixture. Serve immediately.

** We all thought this needed to be much spicier. It was nice. I look forward to making Vietnamese rolls with the leftovers. It was a super quick dish to make. 

Asparagus-Tofu-Noodle

I couldn't resist the asparagus at the store. When we get asparagus, this is one of our favorite ways to eat it. This recipe is from Mollie Katzen's Still Life with Menu cookbook. You can get the recipe from Mollie Katzen's website.

8 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Chinese dark sesame oil
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound vermicelli or linguine
1/2 pound tofu, in small dice
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 pound slim asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
12 to 15 fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered
Toasted sesame seeds and/or cashews for the top

1. In a small bowl, combine the scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, red pepper, lemon juice, sesame oil, water, sugar or honey, and salt. Stir in the tofu. Cover and let stand for at least 15 minutes (longer is OK . You can prepare the other ingredients during this time.)
2. Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain, rinse in warm water, and drain again.
3. Place a large wok over medium heat and wait a minute or two. Add 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, then turn up the heat. Add the asparagus and mushrooms, and stir-fry for several minutes until the asparagus is just tender.
4. Add the drained noodles and stir-fry for about 3 more minutes, keeping the heat high. (It helps to use tongs for the stirring at this point.)
5. Pour in the entire bowlful of marinade-plus-tofu. Cook and stir another 3 minutes or so, or until the sauce is well distributed and everything is heated through.
6. Serve immediately, topped with toasted sesame seeds and/or cashews.

*I use 3 T tamari instead of soy sauce and 3 T sesame oil. I don't use the red pepper, and I use rice spaghetti noodles broken in half before cooking them. I tend to use more asparagus.

**Delicious- Keeper