Toss tahini with udon in a stir fry
A stir-fry is one of the easiest things to learn how to cook, but once you’ve mastered the dish it can get boring making it all the time.
So for all the stir-fry masters out there, I was thinking of how to switch up this staple weeknight meal without making it too complicated.
Just as I was cleaning out the test kitchen fridge, I noticed I had a bottle of tahini. The Middle Eastern staple made of ground sesame seeds has a deep nutty flavour and a velvety texture that I’ve once used to dress spaghetti with, so I figured it would also pair nicely in a stir-fry with udon noodles.
Think about it: sesame oil is often used in stir-frys, so why not tahini?
I whisked tahini with flavours you’d typically find in a stir-fry: lime, garlic, chili and a dash of soy sauce. The result is a deliciously silky and nutty sauce with a garlicky and lime kick that’s a bit of a departure from the more soy-heavy stir-frys.
To round out the meal, I added a cod filet to keep the dish light since the tahini sauce itself is quite heavy (you can use chicken in lieu of cod).
For the main vegetable, I opted for okra because it adds a crunchy contrast and its nutty, asparagus-like flavour can stand on its own even with such a heavy sauce. Don’t avoid okra because of its slimy reputation: the slime evaporates in a hot pan after a few minutes and becomes a wonderfully crunchy and aromatic vegetable.
Tahini-Tossed Udon With Cod And Okra
3 Star Tested
1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini
1 minced garlic clove
2 tsp (10 mL) Japanese soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (90 mL) water
Chili flakes, to taste
2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable or canola oil
5oz (140g) cod fillet, patted dry with paper towel
8 okra pods, chopped
1 small carrot, julienne-cut
200g packet pre-cooked udon noodles In a large bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and water until smooth. Add chili flakes to taste. Set aside.
In a medium-sized skillet, heat 1 tsp (5 mL) oil over medium heat. Sear cod until opaque, flaky and fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside. Wipe down pan. Heat remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) oil over medium heat. Sauté chopped okra for 4 minutes, or until slime has cooked off and pods are beginning to brown. Add carrot, udon and remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) water. Toss gently, al- lowing noodles to separate, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Add noodles, okra, carrot and cod to bowl of tahini sauce. Toss until everything is covered. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with additional chili flakes, if desired. Serve immediately.
Makes 1 serving. Single Adult Diner is a biweekly recipe column focusing on single portions of fast, tasty and usually healthy weeknight recipes. Email