Title: Peking style noodles with bean sauce & mixed
 Categories: Main dish, Vegetarian, Chinese
      Yield: 2 Servings
 
      8 oz Noodles
           -- (3-4 cups after cooking)
      6 oz Plain pressed tofu
    1/2 c  Green soybeans
           -- (frozen or fresh)  -OR-
      2 oz -Baby corn spears
    1/2 c  Bamboo shoot, diced finely
      2 oz Cucumber
      1 ts Garlic, minced
      3 tb Chinese bean sauce; -OR-
      4 tb -Dark miso
      3 tb Vegetable oil
  1 1/2 c  Water
  1 1/2 tb Soy sauce
    1/2 ts Sugar
  2 1/2 tb Cornstarch; dissolved in...
      3 tb Water
    1/2 ts Sesame oil
 
  If you are cooking the noodles first, drain them, remove to a bowl or
  serving platter, and toss with 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil to prevent
  sticking (do not rinse in cold water as this reduces flavor).
  
  Crumble the pressed tofu coarsely to yield 1-1/2 cups.
  
  Parboil green soybeans till almost tender yet still firm (10 minutes
  for frozen).  If using fresh baby corn spears, steam or parboil till
  tender; if canned, rinse with boiling water. Rinse green soybeans or
  corn in cold water and chop finely.  You should have about 1/2 cup
  baby corn.
  
  It is not necessary to peel or seed the hothouse (English) or Oriental
  cucumber.  Regular cucumber should be pared and seeded, but leave a
  few narrow strips of skin for color and texture. Julienne finely to
  yield 1/2 cup.
  
  If you are using miso, dissolve it in 1/4 cup warm water.
  
  Put 3 tablespoons oil into a preheated pan over high. When the oil is
  hot, reduce heat to medium-high.  Add garlic and stir-fry a few
  seconds to release aroma. Add pressed tofu and bean sauce or miso.
  Stir-fry briefly to mix.  Add 1-1/2 cups water, 1 tablepsoon soy
  sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the
  boil is reached. Gradually stir in cornstarch mixture and cook,
  stirring, another minute or so until the consistency is like a light
  gravy, not too thick. Test for salt, and add an extra tablespoon soy
  sauce if needed. (at this point, if you like, you can heat noodles
  and/or green soybeans, baby corn, and bamboo shoot by combining with
  the sauce until just mixed.) Add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Remove from
  the stove. Pour sauce over noodles, and top with garnish in separate
  arrangement (garnish with just the cucumber if you have added
  soybeans or baby corn and bamboo shoot to the sauce). Toss before
  serving.
  
  * Source: The Fragrant Vegetable, by Martin Sidham * Typed for you by
  Karen Mintzias