Sichuan Noodles

This week, asian style cuisine is the name of the game.  Two classic seasonings to use are sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.  The sesame oil has a nice nutty richness and the vinegar adds a splash of tang. 

When combined with peanut butter it makes a creamy, flavorful sauce, that pairs nicely with rice pad Thai noodles and stir-fry veggies. 

With the noodles and sauce as a base this recipe is very versatile. We prefer to add very light vegetables such as snap peas, red peppers, water chestnut and bamboo shoots.  Round it off with the more savory mushrooms and broccoli and you have a dish that will make anyone say YUM!

I N G R E D I E N T S

2 Tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar

1 tsp. Chili Paste

1/4 cup Peanut Butter

3/4 cup Water

Mushrooms;  sliced

Red Bell Peppers;  sliced

Snap Peas;  whole

Brokkoli

Bamboo Shoots;  cut into strips

Water Chestnuts;  sliced

Thai Basil;  to garnish

P R E P A R A T I O N S

Wash and clean all fresh vegetables and cut them according to the instructions above.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for cooking the pasta. 

Then heat a medium size pan with some vegan butter to sauté.  When the pan warms, clean and slice the mushrooms before adding them into the pan to brown.

After about 2 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and stir-fry them for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

In a small bowl, stir together the dressing ingredients:  Soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili paste, peanut butter and water.

When the water boils, cook the noodles according to the directions on the packet. 

Then drain the pasta, tip it into a bowl and toss it with the dressing and the stir-fry vegetables.  Plate the dish into bowls with some fresh cut basil and serve it immediately. 

       Nina