Vegetable Chow Fun, A Vegetarian's Delight

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh rice noodles (cut into 1½-inch wide ribbons, room temperature)
• 0.5 tsp salt (for sauce mixture)
• 0.25 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp hot water
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce)
• 0.5 tsp sesame oil
• white pepper (freshly ground, to taste, plus 1/4 tsp for eggplant coating)
• 0.25 cup vegetable oil (plus 1 tablespoon, divided)
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Japanese eggplant (sliced into 3/8-inch thick slices)
• 3 slices fresh ginger (thin slices)
• 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
• 3 scallions (sliced at an angle into 1 to 2-inch pieces, white and green parts separated)
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 2 red holland peppers (spicy, or 1/2 red bell pepper for non-spicy, cut into strips)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 cup fresh snow peas (trimmed)
• 1.5 cups fresh bean sprouts

Steps

1. 1

   Take the rice noodles out of the refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter until they are at room temperature. Cut them into 1½-inch wide ribbons.

2. 2

   In a small bowl, dissolve ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon sugar in the hot water.

3. 3

   Add the soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper to the water mixture. Set aside.

4. 4

   Heat your wok over medium high heat, and add ¼ cup oil.

5. 5

   In a bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper.

6. 6

   Toss the eggplant in this dry mixture until well coated.

7. 7

   Place the eggplant slices evenly in the pan and fry for 2 minutes on each side until brown. Turn over each of the pieces, and when browned on both sides, remove to a plate or sheet pan and set aside.

8. 8

   Heat the wok over high heat and add the ginger slices.

9. 9

   Spread 1 tablespoon of oil around the perimeter of the wok.

10. 10

    Let the ginger fry for 10 seconds to infuse the oil, then stir in the garlic and the white portions of the scallions.

11. 11

    Add the mushrooms and red peppers and stir fry for another 20 seconds.

12. 12

    Add the Shaoxing wine and the rice noodles. The heat should be at the highest setting.

13. 13

    Give the noodles a quick stir for 30 seconds, and pour the soy sauce mixture over the noodles.

14. 14

    Continue gently stir-frying the noodles using a scooping motion for 2 minutes. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the wok with your spatula to prevent the noodles from sticking.

15. 15

    Add the eggplant, snow peas, bean sprouts, and the rest of the scallions.

16. 16

    Continue stir-frying until the noodles are heated through and the snow peas turn a bright green – about 2 minutes. Plate and serve with your favorite hot chili oil!

Notes

If you cannot find fresh rice noodles at your Asian grocery, you can make them from scratch. Ensure the noodles are at room temperature before stir-frying to prevent breaking. Use vegetarian oyster sauce to keep the dish vegan/vegetarian.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• stir-fry
• noodles
• Cantonese
• dinner