Here is a quick and delicious dish to satisfy a craving for udon. Given that it includes fresh spinach, it’s nutritious as well. This is a broth-less bowl of chewy noodles flavored with browned butter and lots of sesame seeds. It’s scrumptious.
I highly recommend you seek out fresh udon. Here on Maui I buy Sun Noodle udon which is available at Island Grocery. If you are unable to find fresh udon, frozen udon would be the next option. Dried udon is very thin and lacks the wonderful chewy texture of fresh udon that makes this particular dish so delightful.
My version is vegan since I used Miyoko’s in place of regular unsalted butter. It’s an excellent substitute if you are lactose intolerant. Another plus is that you can actually brown Miyoko’s vegan butter.
The “butter” browns quickly so you’ll want to keep a close eye on it.
Once the “butter” has browned, it gets tossed with the cooked udon and spinach. Divide the noodles into bowls, sprinkle with a generous amount of roasted sesame seeds and a dollop of chili crisp and devour your bowl of noodles.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions until just tender. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water. Drain the noodles in a colander and set aside.
Microwave spinach with 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a large bowl (cover with damp paper towel or microwavable plastic wrap with a small corner left open for steam to escape, or use microwavable steamer). Drain and add to noodles.
Set the pot used for cooking the pasta, over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons Miyoko’s Vegan Butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the butter turns golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Watch closely so the butter does not burn. Add the black pepper and stir until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water, plus noodles and spinach, soy sauce and sugar, and toss until the sauce is thickened and silky. Add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if needed to ensure the sauce clings to the noodles.
Remove from the heat and season to taste with more soy sauce and black pepper if needed. Divide into two bowls, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with chili crisp.
Crispy tofu drizzled with a delicious scallion sauce is an easy and tasty dish to make any day of the week. A flavorful scallion sauce is drizzled over the tofu just before serving. The savory sauce really brings this dish together and makes this one of the best ways to enjoy tofu. Serve the tofu with onigiri (Japanese rice balls) and some wilted baby bok choy for a healthy and delicious meal.
The Tofu Xpress has been one of my favorite kitchen gadgets for some time now. If you cook with tofu often, I encourage you to buy a tofu press (plenty of options online). Using a press means less waste of paper towels or kitchen towels and quicker results.
Most of the sauce ingredients are likely already in your pantry. If you are unable to find Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), you may substitute red pepper flakes. However, I highly suggest keeping a small jar of gochugaru in your cupboard. Most commonly used to make kimchi, gochugaru has multiple uses in many recipes. The slightly smoky flavor of the chili flakes with medium heat (heat can vary by brands) and gorgeous color make this one of my go to seasonings.
Initially it may seem like 3/4 cup of sliced scallions is far too much, however, the scallions will wilt once mixed with the other sauce ingredients.
Once the tofu is lightly coated with cornstarch, it is fried until both sides are firm and crispy. In order to enjoy the crispiness of the tofu, serve it right away. This is a small recipe so you won’t have any leftovers!
1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu (pressed for 10 minutes)
Kosher salt
1/3 scant cup cornstarch
Neutral oil such as canola or vegetable for frying
Soy-Scallion Sauce
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 1/2 teaspoons gochugaru (substitute with 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar (unseasoned)
3/4 cups thinly sliced scallions
Directions
Press out water from tofu using a tofu press or kitchen towel (about 10 minutes). Cut tofu lengthwise into 8 even slices. Lay slices on a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. Salt the tofu on both sides. Place the cornstarch in a shallow dish and set aside.
Let the tofu rest while you prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, mix together all the sauce ingredients until combined (scallions will wilt as they sit).
Pour enough oil into a large 12-inch nonstick skillet to fully coat the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 cup or so) and heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working quickly with one slice at a time, lightly coat the tofu slabs with cornstarch (gently tap to remove excess cornstarch) and carefully place them in the hot pan. Cook, flipping once, for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and crisp (adjust heat if too high).
Transfer the tofu to a large plate, slightly overlap the slices in two rows, and spoon sauce on top (start with a few spoonfuls, add more to taste or serve on the side). Serve immediately with onigiri and wilted greens.
These kakimochi (mochi crunch/arare/rice crackers) chocolate chip cookies are a fun and tasty way to share a unique, local-style cookie with family and friends. They are crunchy and chocolatey in the best way. I love how cute they look with the mochi crunch topping. A sprinkling of furikake makes the perfect finishing touch.
There are numerous shapes and sizes of kakimochi. The sakura shape above works perfectly as they are not too large.
Once all the ingredients are combined, chill the dough for an hour in the refrigerator so it firms up a bit and doesn’t spread too much when baking.
Each dough ball is topped with a piece of kakimochi before baking. Sprinkle some of the dough balls with furikake.
Once the cookies are done baking, leave them on the cookie sheet for a minute so they firm up just a bit. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before packing them up for gifts.
1/2 cup (113g) room temperature Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (107g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (105g or 3.75 ounces) kakimochi (Tomoe brand recommended) + extra for topping cookies (about 36 pieces)
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
Furikake (Mishima Nori Komi Furikake recommended) for sprinkling on cookies
Directions
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer cream Buttery Sticks or butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and and mix well with a firm spatula. Stir in kakimochi and chocolate chips. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (keep remaining dough in the refrigerator until ready to use). Press a kakimochi on top of the dough ball and sprinkle with furikake if using. Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until cookies are lightly browned. Let cookies rest on pan for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Kinpira gobo is a traditional Japanese side dish that will enhance any Japanese-style meal. Serve it for breakfast with a bowl of steaming Japanese rice, pack it in a bento box with musubi for lunch, or serve it for dinner along with tofu for a delicious vegetarian meal.
If you’re not familiar with gobo (burdock root) you might not even take notice of it. Gobo is rather homely looking, however, don’t let that stop you from picking up a few pieces to take home. Once it has been cleaned and sliced thinly, its potential is revealed and you are on your way to a truly delicious meal.
Here on Maui gobo can be found at Foodland Kahului, Island Grocery Kahului, TJ’s Wailuku, and Times market in Kihei. Look for slender roots about 1-inch in diameter. These will be less fibrous and tough than the thicker pieces. Sometimes it can be hit or miss. Check the condition of the gobo. It should be firm like a carrot. If it’s not, then try again the following week or ask your grocer when they expect a new delivery.
Have a bowl of cool water ready when slicing the gobo. Burdock oxidizes quickly and the water helps to keep it from turning gray. The water also reduces some of the pungent flavor of the gobo. Change the water once or twice as it becomes darker. When all of the gobo has been sliced, drain in a colander and transfer to a clean dish towel or paper towels and pat dry. You want to avoid water hitting the hot oil when you begin to fry the gobo.
A short list of sauce ingredients makes this an easy dish to prepare. The Shichimi Togarashi is optional. I use it to add a bit of kick to the finished dish. I used instant dashi but using water is fine since you only need a small amount.
Start by cooking the gobo for a few minutes before adding the julienned carrots. Taste a few pieces to see if the texture is right. It should be firm yet cooked enough so that it isn’t tough and difficult to chew. Keep in mind that it will continue to cook a few more minutes when the carrots are added.
Once the gobo and carrots are the right texture, add the sauce and cook until the liquid is nearly gone.
Transfer kinpira gobo to a serving bowl, sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick.
Though kinpira gobo is considered a side dish, it can become a main dish simply served with a bowl of rice. The flavor is so delicious and the crunchy texture is delightful.
1/4 cup prepared instant dashi or water (vegetarian version)
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon mirin
roasted sesame seeds
shichimi togarashi (optional)
Directions
Rinse the gobo and remove a light layer of the skin with the back of a knife. Avoid using a peeler as this will remove too much of the edible part of the root.
Thinly slice gobo on a sharp diagonal (if cut too thick the gobo will be difficult to chew). Stack a few pieces together and slice thinly into 2-inch strips. Place strips in water as you slice them. Change water once or twice as it darkens.
Julienne carrot into similar size as the gobo. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the dashi or water, soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin. Set aside.
Heat a scant tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the gobo (be sure it is dry so the oil does not splatter). Stir fry for a few 2-3 minutes adjusting the heat to medium-high if needed. Gobo is very fibrous and should be stir fried until it is just tender and crispy but not tough. Taste a few pieces to ensure you have the correct texture. Add julienned carrots to the pan and stir fry with the gobo until al dente, about 2 minutes.
Turn heat down to medium if using a higher heat to stir fry the vegetables. Pour in sauce and continue to stir until the liquid is nearly gone (the pan should not be dry).
Transfer kinpira gobo to a serving bowl. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds over the top. Serve with shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick.
I can’t think of a more refreshing and satisfying combination than crisp vegetables served over ramen, drizzled with a tangy dressing. Although we usually think of ramen served in a steaming hot broth, it can also be used in cold or room temperature dishes like this one. The colorful vegetables are served on a bed of toothsome noodles that make for a delightful lunch.
All the vegetables for this dish as well as the dressing can be prepared the night before you plan to serve it (except for the avocado). If you can’t find fresh ramen you may use dried noodles. I used fresh Sun Noodle ramen this time, however, Hakubaku brand dried ramen is a good choice if fresh is not available. If you prefer a wavy noodle, you might choose Ichiban dried ramen. Just be careful not to overcook the noodles so they retain their chewy texture. The noodles are best cooked just before serving.
There are lots of options for the salad toppings. I used cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and avocado. Other good choices would be watercress, summer squash, green onions. Make your dish colorful.
The dressing for this salad uses ingredients that are not difficult to find at your local market. The fresh lime juice makes this dressing pop!
This is a one bowl meal that really hits the spot especially this time of the year when temperatures are soaring.
A refreshing ramen salad perfect for a summer meal
Ingredients
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
10 ounces fresh or 6 ounces dried ramen noodles
2-3 cups shredded or julienned vegetables (radishes, iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, cucumber, summer squash, carrots, scallions, avocado
Directions
Combine seasoned rice vinegar through sesame oil in a jar. Shake and set aside.
Cook noodles according to package directions until just al dente. Immediately drain the noodles in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a medium bowl, toss with half of the dressing.
Divide the noodles between bowls. Arrange vegetables over the ramen and serve with remaining dressing.
This ramen dish is one of our new favorites. It has tons of umami flavor that makes this dish a real stand out. The chili crisp adds a nice hint of heat and is used in the sauce and later spooned over the noodles before serving. This happens to be a vegan recipe which means that everyone can try it out. Surprise! The tofu is not bland, watery or tasteless in this dish. Even non-vegans will find it delicious.
I highly recommend the TofuXpress tofu press for those of you who eat and cook tofu often. In fact even if you cook with tofu occasionally, this handy kitchen gadget is a dream come true. You may shy away from buying it because of the price (online from $42.95) but just go for it. I have had mine for more than 10 years and never regret purchasing it. The water is pressed out of the tofu quickly so that your tofu is ready to use in 15-30 minutes. For this dish I suggest using extra firm tofu such as WildWood Organic.
Once the water is pressed out, the tofu is crumbled into small pieces before pan frying until crisp.
I prefer to use fresh ramen noodles, however, I use dried ramen when fresh is not available. If using the dried version such as Ichiban, be sure to undercook the noodles until just al dente since they are quite a bit thinner than fresh noodles.
Shiitake mushrooms are a big star in this recipe. They are chopped finely and pan fried with the diced shallots until nicely browned before being added to the fried tofu.
I purchased three different brands of chili crisp to see which one I liked best. There are hundreds of versions available. Of the three I purchased, my favorite is Zindrew. It’s on the mild heat side, but it has lots of flavor, is very crunchy, and is the least oily. There’s just a tablespoon of it left in the jar!
The crumbled tofu is pan fried until crisp on both sides. The texture of the fried tofu is pleasantly firm with a bit of chew to it.
Shiitake mushrooms are fried with diced shallots until nicely browned. These mushrooms works so well with this dish because they have a meaty texture and do not have as much water as other types of mushrooms.
The sauce is added to the tofu and mushroom mixture and quickly heated before serving. The original recipe from Bon Appetit calls this dish Saucy Tofu Noodles with Cucumbers and Chili Crisp. I found that in order to keep this “saucy” the sauce should be heated separately otherwise the tofu and mushroom mixture absorbs the sauce very quickly. Either way, it’s just delicious.
Thinly sliced quick cucumber pickles are the topping for this ramen dish. Their tartness and crisp texture are a perfect accompaniment to the savory tofu ramen.
1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, water pressed out
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
1 shallot (2 tablespoons) finely chopped
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium or 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
10 ounces fresh ramen (12 ounces for 4 servings)
Preparation
Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, tahini, sesame oil, black vinegar, 1 tablespoon chili crisp, and ½ cup water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Toss cucumbers with rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ¾ teaspoon Morton salt in a medium bowl. Let sit, stirring occasionally until cucumbers have slightly softened, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside in a small bowl.
Meanwhile, press water from tofu using TofuXpress or wrap in a clean kitchen towel (gather ends together) and squeeze with your hands over the sink to extract as much liquid as possible. Crumble drained tofu into a medium bowl (it should resemble cooked ground meat with some larger pieces). Sprinkle with cornstarch and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ Morton salt. Toss with your hands to evenly coat tofu.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large (12-inch) non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Arrange tofu crumbles in a single layer, reserve bowl. Cook tofu undisturbed until golden brown underneath, about 4 minutes. Toss and continue cooking until tofu is golden brown and crisp all over, about 3-4 minutes more. Transfer tofu back to reserved bowl.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to same skillet and heat to medium high. Add mushrooms and shallot, and cook, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are browned and shallot is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and return tofu to the pan. Add reserved sauce and heat for about 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat. For saucier version, heat sauce in a separate skillet over medium until just slightly reduced.
Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and divide among bowls. Ladle tofu over noodles and top with reserved pickled cucumbers and more chili crisp. If sauce has been heated separately, pour sauce over tofu right before serving.
