Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Vegetable Sai Fun (Stir Fry Noodles)

I LOVE sai fun! Also known as bean threads, mung bean noodles, glass noodles, or Chinese vermicelli, these are delicate clear noodles that cook quickly and absorb flavors fabulously. They can be used in darn near anything -- as noted, I love to use them in spring and egg rolls. This could also be called my "everything" stir fry, since the concept originated in a rush of leftover fried rice and precooked sai fun.

This can be made with or without rice. I definitely wouldn't advocate making a fresh batch of it just for this recipe; it can spruce up the texture if you have some leftovers though.

Vegetable Sai Fun:

3 nests sai fun (apx. 1 1/2c cooked)
1/2 lb extra firm tofu, cubed
2tbsp olive oil
1/3c chopped water chestnuts
1/3c peas
1 grated carrot
1c raw chopped cabbage
4 oz can bamboo shoots
1/4c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2c cooked rice (optional)

Boil sai fun for 3-5 minutes or until soft. Strain and remove from heat. Steam cabbage and onion until softened, apx 5-10 minutes. Saute tofu with olive oil, garlic and tamari until lightly browned in a large skillet or wok. Add cooked sai fun and all other ingredients over medium heat, toss with spatula every few minutes until noodles start to become crispy and brown, apx. 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with tamari or schezuan sauce for a spicier taste.

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