Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles

Step 1

Remove the tofu from the package, pouring offthe water from the package. Wrap the tofu in a cleandish towel and set it on a plate. Place another plate or a baking dish on top and add cans or other heavy items to weight it down. Let stand for 30 to 45 minutes to press out excess water.

Step 2

Make the sauce by whisking together the sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and honey until well combined. Stir in the scallion and add the chile oil a little at a time until you achieve your desired level of spice.

Step 3

To cook the topping, heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until themushrooms have released their liquid and turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Crumble the tofu and add it to the pan and cook, stirringoccasionally, until the tofu begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, scallion, black beans, preserved mustard greens, wine, and soy sauce and cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more.

Step 5

While the tofu is cooking, cook the noodles according to the package instructions (usually about 3 minutes in boiling water for fresh noodles). Drain.

Step 6

To serve, place a serving of noodles in a serving bowl and spoon some of the sauce over them. Toss to coat the noodles well and then top with some of the tofu topping.  Garnish with scallions and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.