Soba Noodle Stir-Fry

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I've made this with a huge array of veggies; it's a great way to use whatever is in the box this week!   Sometimes, we make it with chicken, sometimes not.  I've also served it over a bed of lettuce; the sauce from the stir fry acts like a salad dressing and the cold lettuce with the warm stir fry creates a pleasant contrast.  There are no quantities indicated for the ingredients because it's infinitely flexible--use what you have and however much you want of it.  Makes delicious leftovers too! 

Ingredients:
Soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
a mix of vegetables, such as snow peas, radishes, onions, scallions, mushrooms, carrots, bok choy,
        broccoli, etc.  Leave snow peas whole, julienne other vegetables or dice
garlic or garlic scapes, chopped
chicken breast, cubed (optional)
neutral flavored cooking oil (such as canola)
toasted sesame oil (a little goes a long way)
soy sauce
hoisin sauce
sesame seeds
salad greens (optional)

Method:
1.  In a bowl, mix equal parts hoisin sauce and soy sauce.  Whisk to dissolve the hoisin sauce.  A stir fry for a family of four usual takes about 2 Tbsp of each.   

2.  Heat neutral oil in a large skillet or wok.  If using the chicken, cook, unseasoned, in the oil until cooked through.  Remove from pan and set aside.

3.  Cook the vegetables in the neutral oil.  Add them in reverse order of cooking time (radishes and carrots take longer to cook, snow peas only take a few minutes).  The idea is to have all the veggies cooked through at the same time.

4.  About two minutes before the veggies are finished cooking, add the garlic or garlic scapes.  Cook until fragrant, about a minute.  Add the sesame oil and a generous helping of sesame seeds to coat the vegetables.  Add the cooked chicken, if using, and the soba noodles.     

5.  Stir in the hoisin and soy sauce mix.  Be sure that everything is thoroughly coated by the sauce.  If it's not thoroughly coated, add a little more of both sauces.

6.  Serve as it is or over a bed of salad greens.







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