Have you tried sweet potato noodles? They cook in five minutes and taste great with stir fried veggies. As with the other Asian cellophane, aka “glass” noodles (mung bean and green bean sheet noodles), they’re beautifully translucent, slippery instead of starchy, usually gluten-free, and maintain a nice, chewy texture, you just don’t want to overcook them. Rice noodles are a different thing, but you can use them if you want.
The original recipe, by Judy Joo, caught my eye in the current issue of Eating Well (May/June 2017) and I’ve adapted to provide some flexible veggie guidelines. You want to aim for something onion (spring onions, scallions, yellow, white, or red regular onions), something crunchy (carrots, kohlrabi, black radish, turnip, summer squash, snap peas, pea shoots), and a leafy green, like bok choy or chard. Once you’ve got it made, pass the sriracha or gochujang.
Advance prep note: purchase baked tofu prepared (sometimes you can find good selections at salad bars) or make Extra-Crispy Baked Tofu or Baked Tofu with Orange Sesame Marinade
Sweet Potato Noodles with Stir Fried Vegetables and Tofu
serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce package sweet potato starch noodles
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari reduced sodium if available
Sauce
- ¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari reduced sodium if available
Vegetables & Eggs
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil)
- 6 spring onions or scallions, thinly sliced or one regular onion, or a mix
- 2 cups crunchy vegetables (eg. julienne carrots or kohlrabi, snap peas cut in half on diagonal)
- 1 bunch greens (eg. bok choy or chard, stems minced, leaves sliced chiffonade, 1/2-inch)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
Serve with purchased baked tofu, or prepare your own, and pass the sriracha or gochujang
Instructions
Cook the Noodles
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Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the noodles, stir around with a wooden spatula to separate, and cook according to package directions, usually about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water in a colander. Shake out excess water, put noodles in a bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and set aside.
Mix the Sauce
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Crush the toasted sesame seeds with a wooden spoon in a glass measuring cup. Add the brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce and mix to combine. Set aside.
Stir Fry
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Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and crunchy veg and stir-fry 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the sauce with the greens and stir-fry 3 or 4 more minutes. Combine noodles and veggies in serving bowl/platter.
Cook the Eggs and Serve
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Whisk the eggs with 1 tablespoon water. Heat 1 teaspoon cooking oil in nonstick frying pan set over medium heat, then add the eggs. Cook without stirring until set enough to flip like a pancake, a couple minutes. Flip and cook other side a minute. Transfer to cutting board, roll up and slice into thin ribbons. Put on top of the noodles and veggies, add the baked tofu, and serve with sriracha, gochujang, or other fun spicy condiment.
Recipe Notes / Tips
- For the baked tofu, please see my recipes for Extra-Crispy Baked Tofu or Baked Tofu with Orange Sesame Marinade
- Some salad bars have nice cooked tofu selections like sweet chile sauce or tamari, simply slice and warm them with the vegetables and noodles when you stir fry.