Meaty Tofu and Stir-Fried Bok Choy over Udon Noodles

Preparation time: 12 minutes	4 servings
Cooking time: 8 minutes	387 calories per serving, 24% from fat
RealAge effect if eaten 12 times a year:	RealAge-effect ingredients:
Stocked with potassium and magnesium, this dish makes your RealAge 3.0 days younger.	Buckwheat noodles, tofu, sesame oil, garlic, bok choy, carrots (magnesium, calcium, potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C, fiber, healthy protein, healthy fat, folic acid)

ingredients

8 ounces udon noodles (thick Japanese buckwheat noodles)

2 tablespoons seasoned black bean paste

2 tablespoons mirin (rice wine)

10 ounces firm-style tofu, such as White Wave brand

3 teaspoons dark sesame oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 small head or ½ large head bok choy, sliced

¼ inch thick, stems and leaves separated

2 cups julienned carrots (packaged or from the supermarket salad bar)

¼ cup julienned daikon or red radish (optional)

preparation

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine black bean paste and mirin; mix well. Press the block of tofu between paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Cut tofu into ¾-inch slices; cut slices into 1-inch squares. Toss tofu with 2 tablespoons black bean mixture and set aside.

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil, the garlic, and the bok choy stems; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add bok choy leaves, carrots, and tofu mixture; stir-fry 2 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Salt to taste.

Drain noodles; toss with remaining black bean mixture and remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Transfer to serving plates. Spoon tofu mixture over noodles; if desired, garnish with radish.

substitutions: Hoisin or teriyaki sauce may replace black bean sauce—both will make the dish much sweeter but still tasty. Whole wheat wide ribbon pasta—like a fettuccine—can replace buckwheat noodles. Black bean garlic sauce can replace the black bean sauce. Look for black bean garlic sauce, mirin, and udon noodles in the Asian section of your supermarket.

tips: Pickled ginger, also located in the ethnic section of your supermarket, adds a new sweet-sour dimension to this dish. Sprinkle a little pickled ginger on top, or just drizzle the juice from the jar, to make this dish really pop. The juice, which is usually just vinegar with a little salt and sugar, makes a big difference.

nutritional analysis

Total fat (g) 10.3	Sodium (mg) 1087	Vitamin A (RE) 1567
Fat calories (kc) 93.1	Calcium (mg) 213	Beta-carotene (RE) 9404
Cholesterol (mg) 0	Magnesium (mg) 106	Vitamin C (mg) 39
Saturated fat (g) 1.5	Zinc (mg) 1.7	Vitamin E (mg) 1.5
Polyunsaturated fat (g) 5.2	Selenium (mcg) 4	Thiamin B1 (mg) 0.3
Monounsaturated fat (g) 2.8	Potassium (mg) 659	Riboflavin B2 (mg) 0.2
Fiber (g) 5.5	Flavonoids (mg) 0.7	Niacin B3 (mg) 1.5
Carbohydrates (g) 56.9	Lycopene (mg) 0	Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.3
Sugar (g) 5.7	Fish (oz) 0	Folic acid (mcg) 84
Protein (g) 19.7	Nuts (oz) 0	Vitamin B12 (mcg) 0