meatless monday: noodle bowl

It's finally feeling like fall on the east coast! I love slurping warm soup on a cool day out of a big bowl. I made this soup the other night and it was positively delish. It contains udon noodles (Japanese buckwheat noodles) and tofu, as well as plenty of veggies, so it's super satisfying and hearty.

Things to note: this recipe does call for oyster sauce and chicken broth, which do not make this meal entirely meatless if you're being strict. Feel free to substitute veggie broth. Oyster sauce does contain fermented dried oyster - again, if you're not comfortable using this, there are vegetarian options available (for example, Sin Tai Hing Vegetarian Oyster Sauce or Soy Sauce with Mushroom by Healthy Boy Brand).

Udon with Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables

Kosher salt
3/4 lb. dried udon noodles
3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. rice vinegar
4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
2 Tbs. canola oil
3/4 lb. bok choy, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces (4 cups)
3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (1-1/2 cups)
1/2 lb. extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish

photo courtesy of Fine Cooking

Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken broth, oyster sauce, vinegar, and 2 tsp. of the sesame oil.

Heat the ginger and canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the ginger sizzles steadily for about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp. sesame oil and 3/4 tsp. salt and cook, tossing after 1 minute, until the bok choy turns dark green and begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth mixture, tofu, and carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are soft and the tofu is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Distribute the noodles among 4 bowls. Spoon the vegetables, tofu, and broth over the noodles. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

Enjoy!

Love,
The East Coast Muse