Soba noodle stir-fry

This recipe is based on one from chef Gerrard O’Keefe from the vegan-certified Hectors restaurant at the Heritage Auckland hotel. It’s one of those moreish dishes you could nibble all day. The recipe uses puffed tofu and frozen lotus root. Both are available from Asian food stores.

Ingredients

150 g	Soba noodles (Main)
¼ cup	Rice bran oil
10 g	Dried shiitake mushrooms
1 ½ cups	Hot water
1 Tbsp	Cornflour
12 pieces	Frozen lotus root, thawed (Main)
12 pieces	Puffed tofu (Main)
1 knob	Root ginger, (3cm), peeled and julienned
4 cloves	Garlic, chopped
1 medium	Carrot, julienned
1	Chilli, seeded and sliced
2	Bok choy, trimmed, sliced lengthwise

Directions

1. Cook the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender. Drain. Mix with 1 teaspoon of rice bran oil.
2. Soak the dried shiitake in the hot water for 30 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry and reserve the stock.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan. Dust the lotus root with cornflour. Pan-fry until golden. Drain on paper towels. Stir-fry the tofu until golden on all sides. Place aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Stir-fry the ginger and garlic, until fragrant. Add the shiitake, carrot and chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the noodles and bok choy. Toss then add a little of the strained reserved stock. Heat through.
5. Carefully add the lotus root and tofu. Do not allow to become soggy. Great topped with sliced and curled spring onions, a sprinkle of sesame oil and sesame seeds.

See more of Jan's noodle recipes

• Chicken vermicelli for two
• Udon vegetable soup