MEE GORENG
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 pound fresh Chinese noodles — yellow wheat or “stir fried” — or 12 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar ¼ cup molasses ¼ cup soy sauce 4 large shallots; 2 minced and 2 sliced thin 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons sambal oelek, see note
14 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons cornstarch 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound bok choy, stalks and greens separated and sliced ½-inch thick 4 scallions, sliced thin on bias Lime wedges
Note: Sambal oelek can be found in the international aisle of grocery stores.
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain noodles and set aside.
Whisk sugar, molasses and soy sauce together in bowl. In a separate bowl, combine minced shallots, garlic and sambal oelek.
Spread tofu on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let drain for 20 minutes. Gently pat tofu dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, then toss with cornstarch in bowl. Transfer coated tofu to a strainer and shake gently over bowl to remove excess cornstarch. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add tofu and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add sliced shallots and cook until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
If necessary, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add bok choy stalks and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Clear center of skillet, add garlic mixture and cook, mashing mixture into skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir into vegetables.
Stir in noodles, tofu, bok choy leaves and scallions. Whisk sauce to recombine, add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle fried shallots on top. Serve with lime wedges.
PER SERVING (based on 6): 665 calories; 26 g fat; 11 g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 18 g protein; 91 g carbohydrate; 29 g sugar; 6 g fiber; 1,624 mg sodium; 264 mg calcium