Asian Takeout Noodles - A Delicious Time and Money Saver
Make your own asian-style takeout noodles at home: affordable, quick to cook, and packed with flavor just like your favorite noodle shop.
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper roughly sliced
- 1 carrot roughly sliced
- ½ onion roughly sliced
- 250g asian wheat noodles (half a package)
- 1 block tofu cubed
Sauce
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp agave syrup (date, rice or maple syrup as alternative)
- 1 tbsp vinegar (rice or white wine)
- pinch salt
Optional
- pinch MSG (add to sauce)
- vegetables like mushrooms, cabbage, pok choi... sliced
Instructions
- The first and most important step is preparing the noodles. Do not boil them as you normally would. Instead, bring a pot of water to a boil, add some salt or soy sauce, then place the noodles into the hot water. Remove the pot from the heat right away and let the noodles soak for about 15–20 minutes. While they soften in the hot water, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Chop your vegetables and protein (tofu) into generous, bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce until well combined. If you want to experiment with MSG for a more authentic takeout flavor, this is the stage where you can add a pinch.
- If you prefer crispy tofu, prepare it now. You can pan-fry it over medium heat until golden on all sides or place it in the air fryer for an easy, hands-off option.
- Add a little oil to your pan or wok and let it heat until very hot. Toss in all the roughly chopped vegetables at once and stir them quickly over the highest heat setting. The goal is to cook them fast so they stay crisp and do not release too much water. After about three to four minutes, when some pieces begin to darken or lightly stick to the pan, you can either remove the vegetables as they are or after drizzling a tablespoon of soy sauce over them to deglaze the pan for extra flavor.
- If needed, quickly clean your pan of any stuck bits or switch to a fresh one. Once the noodles have softened in the hot water, drain them well in a strainer and shake off any excess liquid. Add oil to the pan, heat it up, and stir-fry the noodles over high heat, tossing constantly. After about two minutes, pour in the prepared sauce and continue stirring for another two minutes so the noodles are evenly coated and take on a rich, darker color. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the roasted vegetables and tofu back into the pan with the noodles and mix everything together well. Taste and adjust with a little extra salt if needed, since the noodles soak up quite a bit. You can top them with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds, then serve hot.
