OODLES OF NOODLES
I actually made this dish a while ago and have been meaning to share it, sorry it’s taken so long! It’s been of my winter favourites, comforting, spicy and full of good things. I know now we’re actually closer to spring but you can mix up the veg to whatever is seasonal or you feel like, and lets face it Spring doesn’t always mean warm.. (Sad face) You can also switch out the tempeh to another protein that suits you better or keep it veg!
So tempeh..? I hear you ask. Tempeh is a fermented soy food, originating from Indonesia, like most fermented foods and foods prepared using traditional methods it’s really good for you! Fermentation means it’s full of probiotics, unlike tofu and other processed soy products such as soy milk, the soy beans are whole, fermentation makes the beans much more digestible and full of goodness too!
Miso has also long been celebrated as a health food, but as well as that, what a great ingredient to cook with! You don’t need to be cooking Asian recipes to make room for this super ingredient. It adds a great depth of flavour and unami to all sorts of dishes, sauce and dressings. I used it in the cauliflower recipe I posted back in the new year for example! You can get darker and lighter miso’s, ranging from saltier to sweeter, here I used yellow miso which is on the sweeter side.
For this recipe I’ve mostly focused on the dressing. You can add it to any sort of stir fry you’re cooking up. Or if you don’t feel like the stir fry this miso dressing also works just a general dressing for a salad, vegetables, grains, whatever you like.! Steam some veg, some quinoa and serve with sauce, some nuts and seeds, super satisfying!
One last note before the recipe, I’ve put umbeboshi paste as optional because I know there’s a long list of ingredients here, you could substitute with a little more lime or rice vinegar if needed. Umbeboshi has a sour taste, with great medicinal properties, it’s alkalising for the body, used to replace aspirin in Chinese medicine, one tip, it’s a great hangover cure!
All these ingredients are available at Asian supermarkets, health food shops and larger supermarkets.
Ooodles of Noodles!
Black rice noodles, tempeh, miso dressing
Serves 1- 2
For the dressing :
2 tbsp yellow miso
2tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp brown rice vinegar
2 tsp mirin
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 thumb ginger, peeled
1 tsp umeboshi paste (optional)
a squeeze of lime
Blend all the ingredients in a high speed food processor or blender.
For the noodles and veg:
1 bundle (83g) black rice noodles
200g tempeh
1 tbsp coconut oil
sesame seed oil, to taste
mirin, to taste
light soy sauce or tamari, to taste
toasted sesame seeds to garnish
choice of veg, I used kale, spinach and thinly sliced red cabbage
handful mint, coriander and thai basil
Put your your noodles on to cook, plunge into boiling water and cook as per instructions, they should just take a few minutes, careful not to overcook, dress with a little sesame oil to stop the noodles sticking.
While the noodles are cooking make your miso dressing.
Set aside. Cut your tempeh, I like them in bite sized pieces, prep all the rest of your ingredients, whatever you choose to use.
Heat a large pan, add a little coconut oil, once hot, add your tempeh, browning on each side, add a splash of soy or tamari. Then add your veg, depending on what you choose start with the longest cooking time first, I added my kale and cabbage first. Once these have wilted add your noodles and spinach if using. Keep tossing the noodle mixture with tongs, add some seasoning of mirin, soy/tamari, about a tablespoon of each, taste. Finish with your herbs and a drizzle of sesame oil, serve with miso sauce, a sprinkle of sesame seeds and add some extra chilli heat if you like.