This recipe was an improvised fusion between Szechuan spices, Korean japchae technique, and some rice noodles I had sitting around. I raided my cupboard and crisper for the ingredients and came up with deliciousness. It’s another dish that uses Chili Black Bean Sauce, like Ma Po Tofu. (Amusingly, the last post in the blog features chilis and black beans, but in a completely different way).
It’s a true stir-fry, with each ingredient cooked separately and removed from the pan, so be prepared with a nice slotted spoon or ‘spider’. In the end the ingredients are combined in a large bowl (pick one that you can cover with some kind of lid to keep things warm), so you don’t have to worry about fitting the noodles into your wok or frying pan.
1 quart rice noodles, soaked in hot water until tender
1 lb protein, cubed (I used tofu)
2 c. stir-fry vegetables, cut into small pieces or slivers, such as:
- carrots
- blanched greens
- onions
1.4 c. water
3 Tbsp. chili black bean sauce
3 Tbsp. light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. mirin or cooking wine
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
–>combine the above seasonings into a sauce
3 green onions, slivered
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp ginger, grated
–>combine green onions, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl
1 egg per serving
oil for frying
salt
Heat 2-3 Tbsp oil in a large frying pan or wok until very hot. Add 1/3 of the ginger/green onion combo bowl. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the cubed meat or tofu and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook over high until the edges are crisped and the meat is almost cooked through. Add a dash of the seasoning sauce and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from pan into large bowl and cover.
Repeat the process with each vegetable individually: start with oil and garlic/ginger/green onion. Cook briefly over high and add a little sauce. Remove to bowl and keep warm. You should finish with half of the sauce left over.
If the noodles have cooled, run them under hot water until they warm up and loosen. Drain and add the to the bowl. Toss with the remaining sauce. Serve with a crisp fried egg on top.