Vegetable Chow Fun, A Vegetarian's Delight

Method12 steps · about 45 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Take the ready-cooked fresh rice noodles out of the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. Once pliable enough to separate, gently loosen them and cut into 1½-inch-wide ribbons. Use them promptly for the stir-fry.

   Uses 450 g fresh, ready-cooked wide rice noodles

2. 2

   Step 2: Wash the vegetables. Slice the eggplant ⅜ inch thick, prepare the ginger (3) and sliced garlic (2 cloves), and separate the scallion (3) whites from the greens after cutting them diagonally into 1–2-inch pieces. Slice the fresh shiitake, cut the red peppers into strips, trim the snow peas (1 cup) and drain the washed bean sprouts (1½ cups) well. Have everything ready before heating the wok.

   Uses Water, for washing the vegetables · 1 Japanese eggplant, cut into ⅜-inch-thick slices · 3 thin slices fresh ginger · 2 cloves garlic, sliced · 3 scallions, cut diagonally into 1–2-inch pieces, whites and greens separated · 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced · 2 spicy red Holland peppers, cut into strips · 1 cup fresh snow peas, trimmed

   
3. 3

   Step 3: In a small bowl, dissolve ½ tsp of the salt and all ¼ tsp sugar in the 2 tsp hot sauce water. Stir in both soy sauces (2 tsp), vegetarian oyster sauce (1 tbsp), sesame oil (½ tsp) and sauce white pepper to taste. Set this sauce aside.

   Uses Sauce ½ tsp of the ¾ tsp salt · ¼ tsp sugar · 2 tsp hot water, for the sauce · 2 tsp soy sauce · 1 tsp dark soy sauce · 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce · ½ tsp sesame oil · Ground white pepper, to taste, for the sauce

4. 4

   Step 4: Mix the 1 tbsp coating flour, 3 tbsp cornstarch, remaining ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp coating white pepper in a bowl. Toss the prepared eggplant slices in this dry mixture until coated, shaking off loose excess.

   Uses All slices of the one prepared eggplant, separate from the other vegetables · 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, for the eggplant coating · 3 tbsp cornstarch, for the eggplant coating · Remaining coating ¼ tsp salt · ¼ tsp ground white pepper, for the eggplant coating

5. 5

   Step 5: Heat the wok over medium-high heat and add the ¼ cup eggplant-frying oil. Lay the coated eggplant slices in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Fry the first side for about 2 minutes, until brown, watching so it does not scorch.

   Brown the first eggplant side · 2 minUses ¼ cup vegetable oil, for frying the eggplant · Only the coated slices in the current single-layer frying batch, leaving loose coating behind

6. 6

   Step 6: Turn each slice and fry the other side for about 2 minutes, until browned and the eggplant is cooked through. Lift the cooked slices onto a plate, leaving excess oil in the wok. Repeat the same two-sided frying with any remaining coated slices using the frying-oil allowance.

   Brown the second eggplant side · 2 minUses First-side browned eggplant and pan oil · Only any coated slices not yet fried, for subsequent batches

7. 7

   Step 7: Raise the wok to high heat. Add the prepared ginger slices and spread the separate 1 tbsp stir-frying oil around the wok. Fry the ginger for 10 seconds to perfume the oil.

   Infuse the ginger oil · 1 minUses Only the pan oil remaining after lifting out all cooked eggplant · 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for the ginger and noodle stir-fry · All three prepared ginger slices

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the prepared garlic and scallion whites, then the fresh shiitake and red pepper strips. Stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

   Stir-fry mushrooms and aromatics · 1 minUses Ginger and hot pan oil · All slices from the two prepared garlic cloves · Only the prepared white portions of the three scallions · All of the prepared 1 cup fresh shiitake · All strips from the two prepared red Holland peppers

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Add the 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine and all the prepared rice-noodle ribbons. Keep the heat high and gently stir-fry for 30 seconds.

   Add the rice noodles · 1 minUses Mushrooms and aromatics in ginger oil · 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine · Prepared ready-cooked rice-noodle ribbons

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Pour all the prepared soy sauce mixture over the noodles. Gently stir-fry with a scooping motion for 2 minutes, scraping the wok bottom to keep the noodles from sticking.

    Stir-fry the sauced noodles · 2 minUses Rice noodles and aromatics · Prepared complete soy sauce mixture

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Return all the fried eggplant, lifted from its plate, and add the prepared snow peas, bean sprouts and scallion greens. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, continuing until the noodles are hot throughout, the snow peas are bright green and cooked, and the bean sprouts are thoroughly cooked and hot through.

    Finish the vegetables and noodles · 2 minUses Sauced rice noodles · All fried eggplant lifted onto the plate, separate from excess frying oil · All of the prepared 1 cup snow peas · All of the prepared 1½ cups bean sprouts · Only the remaining prepared green portions of the three scallions

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Plate the finished vegetable chow fun and serve immediately, with optional ready chili oil.

    Uses The finished noodles and vegetables lifted with their coating sauce, leaving excess pan oil behind · Ready chili oil, optional, to serve