Sweet, refreshing, spicy, and hearty vegetables alongside tender, garlicky, and sesame soba noodles in less than 30 minutes? Nice to meet you, dinner plans.
We’ll be real, there’s not much to discuss here if you’re already familiar with stir-frying and noodle cooking basics, so we’ll leave it to photography to get your stomach rumbling and your tastebuds salivating. It’s your time to shine, Kim!
There’s a handful of ingredients in this recipe some of you may not be familiar with, so let’s shine some light on these unexplored beauties!
- Soba Noodles – A thin Japanese noodle that derives its distinct color and texture from buckwheat flour (soba in Japanese literally translates to buckwheat). They’re easy to find in stores (even American marts), relatively cheap, and only take a couple minutes to cook.
- King Oyster Mushrooms – Long, thick, and cylindrical mushrooms that are meaty, easy to prep, and look a little bit like dildos (just a little). Seek them out in Asian markets where they’re sold for a couple dollars a pound as opposed to thirteen per pound (we see you, Whole Foods). They also happen to be completely unrelated to oyster mushrooms. Claiming to be king over a species you don’t even belong to? Not cool, guys.
- Mushroom Oyster Sauce – Also known as vegetarian oyster sauce, this condiment is exactly what it sounds like: a vegan version of oyster sauce. It’s thick, deep, salty, relatively sweet, and my new favorite thing. As with most products that are made in Asia or are catered to an Asian audience, it’s best to pick up a bottle at an Oriental market instead of online or an American mart.
- Mirin – A mildly sweet, slightly acidic rice wine from Japan that tastes like a cross between rice vinegar and sake. Use it for a balanced splash of sweetness, brightness, and tanginess.
All in all, this recipe is:
- Quick, easy, and satisfying
- Fresh, bright, and subtly sweet
- Lightly spicy, pleasantly deep, and laced with garlic
- Japanese-inspired
- Fueled by Bako Sweet; thanks for the lovely sweet potatoes!
- Vegan
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Orange, noodles, and everything nice
Zesty Orange Sweet Potato Stir-Fry with Garlic-Lime Soba Noodles (vegan)
Spicy, hearty, and refreshing wok-tossed vegetables alongside tender noodles seasoned with mushroom oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
Ingredients
Stir-Fry
- 1/2 small cauliflower head, cut into florets
- 1/2 medium sweet potato, medium diced
- 1 large king oyster mushroom, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 2 medium red jalepenos, sliced on the bias (seeds intact)
- 3 tbsps vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- salt
Noodles
- 10 oz dried soba noodles
- 5 medium cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mushroom oyster sauce*
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Directions
- Stir-Fry: Heat a large wok or high-walled sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, toss together sweet potato, cauliflower, a heavy pinch of salt, and two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Cook for 7 minutes, tossing or stirring occasionally.
- Add in mushroom slices, jalapeño, and another tablespoon of vegetable oil. Cook for an additional 8 minutes or until sweet potato is cooked through, tossing occasionally.
- In a small bowl, stir together orange juice, sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and orange zest. Once sweet potatoes are cooked through, add sauce to wok and cook for one more minute.
- Noodles: Combine garlic, sesame oil, and vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat. Cook until garlic is lightly browned around the edges – about two minutes – then turn off the heat. Whisk in soy sauce, mushroom oyster sauce, lime juice, and set aside for now.
- Once sweet potatoes are almost done, cook soba noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender; about 3 minutes. Drain through a colander and DO NOT RINSE.
- Transfer half the noodles to a large mixing bowl, top with half the garlic mixture, and toss to combine. Add in the rest of the noodles followed by remaining garlic sauce and toss again.
- Note: Toss the noodles as little as possible to ensure they don’t break apart. For this reason, tossing works better than folding or stirring, which tends to break the strands.
- Serving: Enjoy noodles and sweet potato stir-fry while fresh! Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and wedge of lime if desired.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat either dish in a pan or wok over medium-high heat with a touch of oil until hot.
*Mushroom oyster sauce, aka vegetarian oyster sauce, can be found in most Oriental markets for less than three dollars. We’d love to link to one online, but they’re all horrendously overpriced, so just make a trip to the Asian store and you’ll be met with an abundance of brands to choose from.
NO EGGS OR HAM 