By Chef Jason Wyrick

Here’s a fantastic vegan main dish. Add tofu to “beef up” the protein of this dish, but we don’t even think you’ll miss the meat.

Ingredients

Type: Main Dish Serves: 2
Time to Prepare: 10 minutes

  • 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and sliced
  • 2 baby bok choy, sliced
  • Water
  • 1 ½ cups of udon noodles
  • 1 tbsp. of soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. of rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. of sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. of Shichimi Togarashi (aka Japanese Seven Spice, aka Sansho Pepper Blend)
  • 3 tbsp. of crushed peanuts

1.) Remove the stems from the shiitakes and slice them into thin strips and set them aside.

2.) Slice the baby bok choy into thin strips and set them aside.

3.) Bring the water to a boil.

4.) Cook the udon noodles for about 2 minutes (or follow the package directions if you are using
dried ones).

5.) Drain them and set them aside.

6.) Combine the soy sauce and rice vinegar and set it aside.

7.) Heat the oil to a high heat in a wok or sauté pan.

8.) Add the shiitakes and bok choy and sauté for about 1 ½ minutes, then remove them from the pan.

9.) Add the noodles and soy sauce/rice vinegar solution and sauté for 1 minute.

10.) Immediately place the noodles in bowls and top with the shiitakes and bok choy.

11.) Garnish with shicimi togarashi and crushed peanuts.

Shichimi Togarashi

  • 1 tbsp. of Szichuan peppercorns
  • 1 ½ tsp. of dried orange peel
  • 1 ½ tsp. of ground dried red chile (use a chile appropriate to your heat tolerance)
  • 1 tsp. of crushed, flaked nori
  • 1 tsp. of black sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp. of white poppy seeds
  • 1 tsp. of granulated garlic

1.) Toast the peppercorns over a medium heat for about 1 minute, then grind them.

2.) Toast the orange peel, sesame seeds, & poppy seeds for about 1 minute over a medium heat.

3.) Toast the chile over a medium heat for 30 seconds.

4.) Combine all the spices and use to season the Udon Noodles.