I got the idea for this dish from a recipe I found in Bon Appetite years ago which I consider a good introduction for stir-fried noodles. This crunchy, chewy, colorful, umami-laden recipe has it all and is extremely versatile. You can substitute chicken, pork, beef, or tofu for the shrimp and add or omit vegetables. Use whatever you have on hand or what you have a hankering for. The ginger, scallions, mirin, soy sauce, udon, and bok choy are the essential ingredients the recipe is built around. Stir fried dishes are great for using up leftovers. Clean out the fridge!

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (canola or peanut oil)

• 2-3 cups coarsely chopped (1 inch) bok choy stalks (you can remove ½ of the leafy part if you want more crunchy texture)

• ½ large sweet red pepper chopped (1 inch pieces)

• 6 or 7 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced in ½ slices

• 1 11-ounce packages udon noodles (see *Note below)

• 2-3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil to taste

• 16 large shrimp

• 5 scallions, white and pale-green parts coarsely chopped (½ inch), dark-green parts thinly sliced

• 1-2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch knob; to taste)

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 cup mirin

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 1+ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (to taste)

• 1-2 tablespoons chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook the udon according to package directions (about 4-6 minutes) until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Put the udon in a large bowl and add 2 full teaspoons of sesame oil tossing well to coat the noodles. (You can add the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil for more flavor later if you want.)

2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet (or wok) over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, tossing often, until edges are browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sweet red pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, tossing often, until thickest parts of cabbage and pepper are tender crisp when pierced with a fork, about 3-4 minutes longer. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the noodles.

3. Wipe out the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high, add the shiitake and cook stirring until they just begin to brown.

4. Add the chopped scallions (the pale parts), ginger, and red pepper to the skillet with the shiitakes. Continue to cook, stirring often for a minute. Add the shrimp and stir fry for 2-3 minutes more until the shrimp just begin to turn pink. Add the contents to the bowl with the noodles and cabbage and toss.

5. Add the udon-veggie-shrimp mixture to the skillet and add the mirin and soy sauce and cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are coated in sauce, about 45 seconds to a minute.

6. Remove from heat and fold in 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds and the dark-green parts of the scallions. Garnish with more sesame seeds or chopped peanuts before serving. (optional)
   
   *Note: you can find udon noodles at your local Asian market, in the Asian section of your super-market, or substitute thin linguini.

Adapted from: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/stir-fried-udon-with-pork