Friday, June 8, 2012

Vegetarian Yakisoba



Do you know what I really like? Soba noodles. And Japanese food. And putting cabbage in things.

Cabbage is so underrated.

I'm also not very fast at julienning carrots, and they're most certainly not the most evenly-cut thing I've ever produced, but I really like how everything is long and skinny in this dish. Normally I'd be carrot coins all the way!

I like to keep this pretty simple, but it can be doctored to your liking. I've added Fry's chicken-style strips to the one in the picture here, but I didn't like them and picked them out. I bet it would be better with tofu, and I can't believe I just said that.

Anyway, here's a basic recipe to get you started:


Serves 4

Ingredients:
soba noodles
2 carrots, julienned
1/2 head cabbage, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions/scallions
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbs sambal oelek or other chili
1 tbs sugar
toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Saute the carrots, cabbage, garlic and light-green part of green onion/scallion over medium heat 5 minutes or until soft and beginning to brown.

2. Meanwhile, cook your soba noodles in boiling water 2 minutes, then drain and refresh.

3. Add noodles to veggies, turn heat down and add combined soy, chili and sugar.

4. Turn up to re-heat without boiling the crap out of your sauce, and serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.



If using tofu or other chicken substitute, cook them before the veg, set aside and add to the pan again when you add the noodles. 

YUM!

23 comments:

  1. I LOVE  japanese food and anything with noodles! 

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  2. This looks AWESOME Stace!  Very proud of you using tofu too! ;-)
    I'm going to make this tomorrow!
    xo

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  3. Oh yum, this looks delicious! I am in agreement with your cabbage theory too - it is definitely underrated!

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  4. Our dinner for tomorrow night, done! Thanks!!

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  5. we had fried tofu with our noodles tonight and some fried egg and fried shallots - all of which was delicious but probably not quite as healthy as your version.

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  6. I am so trying that, looks delicious.  I love putting cabbage in noodles but I had the most interesting conversation with a lady at the supermarket the other day who recommended using sliced brussel sprouts - she's adamant they stay crunchy?  Thought you might know?

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  7. Dammit. I knew the day would come!

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  8. I'm a bit of a slow learner with noodles - my husband loves hokkien and I hate them so much that I sort of stopped eating noodles altogether. I'm reclaiming ramen!

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  9. Man, it's so scary! But I recently made something else with tofu and was pleasantly surprised. I think it's because it was Pureland organic, and I find that's perfect for me.

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  10. Just because it smells bad, doesn't mean it's not delicious!

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  11. Ha healthy is totally accidental around here! As soon as you said fried shallots, I thought "of course!" how damn delicious x

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  12. To be honest, I've never put them in a stir fry, but they do retain an element of crispness if you cook them quickly. Cabbage would definitely go softer faster, but you could add it in uncooked and let the heat of the noodles wilt it. It doesn't have as strong a flavour as brussels sprouts :)

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  13.  Think I will try adding them uncooked, thanks x

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  14. Oh hey, Yakisoba! Meet my snack-hole. OM NOM NOM. 

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  15. haha what an excellent snack-hole.

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  16. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

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  17. OMG my mouth is watering just looking at that glorious pile off noodles.  YUM!

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  18. I've definitely thought of making it again so soon!

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