Stir-Fried Noodles with Green Tea

Stir-Fried Noodles with Green Tea

(Chinese New Year Special)
Perfect for a hot summer's night, baked tofu, bell peppers and scallions are stir-fried with udon noodles in this quick and easy dish.

Ingredients

8 ounces udon or whole-wheat noodles
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon loose green tea leaves, preferably gunpowder (optional)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces flavored baked tofu, (see Tip), cut into matchsticks
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 scallions, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Heat a wok over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add tea leaves (if using), ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add red and yellow bell peppers and cook, stirring, until the peppers soften, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the noodles, scallions, soy sauce and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in sesame oil and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve warm or cold.

Tips & Notes

Tip: Precooked “baked tofu” is firmer than water-packed tofu and comes in a wide variety of flavors. We prefer flavors like “teriyaki,” “Thai” and “savory” in this recipe. You might also like flavored baked tofu on a sandwich or in a stir-fry.

Notes: I made this with regular firm tofu and just cut open a green tea bag as i could not find any loose leaf tea. It still turned out great. The only thing I added was a drizzle of soy sauce when serving.