You'll need a big wok or two skillets to hold this large stir-fry. Here's a recipe where you can put that very dense, baked tofu to good use. Choose tofu that's been flavored with star anise or five-spice powder, available in natural food stores. It has an entirely different texture than fresh—it's quite meaty, actually. I find it tastes best if you slice it thinly and stir-fry it with the ginger and garlic.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4-6

　　

The Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons tamari

　　3 tablespoons hoisin or oyster sauce

　　1/4 cup stock or water

　　1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro plus long, pretty sprigs for garnish

　　

Noodles and Tofu:

One 8- to 10-ounce package Chinese wide-cut egg noodles

　　1 carton firm tofu, drained and cut into large cubes

　　2 1/2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil

　　1 heaping tablespoon chopped ginger

　　1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic

　　1 jalapeño chile, seeded and diced

　　2 chunks baked tofu, thinly sliced

　　1 onion, thinly sliced

　　6 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, thinly sliced

　　1 large broccoli, the head cut into florets, the stem peeled and sliced

　　1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into narrow strips, then halved

　　2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

　　Salt

　　4 ounces snow peas, trimmed

　　1 bunch scallions, including the firm greens, cut into 1-inch lengths

　　

Step 1

1. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

　　

Step 2

2. Bring a pot of water to boil for the noodles and tofu. Reduce it to a simmer, add the cubed tofu and simmer gently for 4 minutes. Lift out the tofu with a strainer and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add the noodles and cook until tender-firm, following the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and set aside.

　　

Step 3

3. Set a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the remaining oil, swirl it around. When hot, add the ginger, garlic, chile, and baked tofu. Stir-fry around. When hot, add the ginger, garlic, chile, and baked tofu. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add onion, mushrooms, broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots. Season with a few pinches of salt and stir-fry, rapidly tossing the vegetables in their pan, for 3 minutes.

　　

Step 4

4. Now add the snow peas, scallions, and boiled tofu. Stir-fry for 1 minute more, then add the noodles and the sauce. Reduce the heat, toss so that everything is evenly mingled, then cover and cook until the noodles are heated through, a matter of just a few minutes. Turn onto a large platter and garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 118.6 calories

　　41.9 calories from fat

　　4.7g total fat

　　1.0g saturated fat

　　8.9g cholesterol

　　1668.0g sodium

　　11.5g total carbs

　　1.9g dietary fiber

　　2.5g sugars

　　7.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　Reprinted with permission from This Can't Be Tofu! by Deborah Madison. © 2000 Broadway Books