Yakisoba Noodles

I was introduced to this dish when I was a cook in the U.S. Air Force...Stationed in Japan, Okinawa, to be exact...

I've loved it ever since...I don't know if this is a Japanese dish or not...(I was in a Restaurant run by Americans..Ex-Servicemen who specialized in "Pan Asian "Cusine..I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.)

It is Japanese...If you’ve never had stir-fried Japanese yakisoba noodles before, I urge you to invite them into your work week rotation. They are fast, highly-adaptable, and couldn’t love summer’s bounty any more. In Candice Kumai’s Kintsugi Wellness, the cookbook author and wellness writer shares her nostalgic recipe for Light Yakisoba Noodles.

Here, I used a mixture of shiitake mushroom, kale, onion, and garlic to befriend the fresh yakisoba noodles, but you could easily swap in any number of vegetables to suit your taste (cabbage, carrot, scallions, and bean sprouts are traditionally used), as well as adding in some cut-up chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu if you fancy a protein.
This easy-to-make (and easier-to-love!) yakisoba hits all the right notes, and scales up readily for a larger group. Throw it together on any given busy weeknight, with plenty of time to let you sit back and soak up the last of the evening's pinky orange-hued suns.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 3 cups fresh yakisoba noodles (look for these at the Japanese market)
• 2 cups finely chopped kale
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• Light yakisoba sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or try sriracha)
• 1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup purified water

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium sauté pan warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring well.
2. Add all the ingredients for the light yakisoba sauce to the pan and stir. Add the fresh yakisoba noodles and sauté for a few minutes, tossing to coat all the noodles with the sauce, and cook until the water evaporates.
3. Add the chopped kale and toss to slightly wilt and coat with the sauce. Divide the noodles among individual serving bowls and top with 1⁄2 teaspoon of sesame seeds per bowl. 

There you have it....Enjoy...Eat and Drink Well My friends... Special thanks to Candice Kumai  for this great recipe!