Thai Bean Thread Stir Fry

I thought I had a bean thread noodle recipe but cannot find it, alas. This one is good – adapted from a recipe by Darlene Schmidt of The Spruce Eats: https://www.thespruceeats.com/thai-glass-noodles-3217107

For Noodles:
1 cake extra firm tofu
8 ounces bean thread noodles
3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
1 shallot or 1/4 cup red onion (minced)
1 1/2 cups mushrooms (chopped)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
Fresh cilantro for garnishing
sesame oil
a lime or lime juice

For Stir-Fry Sauce:
1/3 cup vegetable or fish stock
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin or okonomi sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Gather and prep the vegetables and sauce ingredients. This dish cooks quickly once you heat your wok or skillet.

Slice the tofu into bite-size pieces and put it in a bowl. Combine the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a cup or small bowl and drizzle two tablespoons over the tofu. Toss  to evenly distribute the sauce and set the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate until you start to cook.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the noodles, stirring to separate them. Cook them for 5 to 7 minutes or until they turn transparent and soft enough to eat. Drain the noodles and drizzle a little sesame oil over the noodles and toss well to keep from sticking.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and swirl it around, then add the garlic and shallots. Stir-fry for a minute or two, then add tofu. Stir-fry until the  tofu starts to turn light brown. If the pan dries out, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of stir-fry sauce.

Add the mushrooms and peppers and 2 to 3 tablespoons of stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for a few more minutes.

Add the noodles and 3/4 of the remaining stir-fry sauce. Use tongs to lift and toss the noodles with the other ingredients. Tip: To make this easier, use a pair of clean kitchen scissors to cut the glass noodles in a couple of places, as the long strings can be hard to handle.

Taste-test, adding more or all of the remaining stir-fry sauce as needed. Add more fish sauce or soy sauce to increase the saltiness, or add a squeeze of lemon or lime to cut the saltiness. Serve immediately with fresh cilantro sprinkled on top and limes for squeezing to taste at the table.

photo credit: https://www.thespruceeats.com/