Buckwheat Noodles with Shitake Mushrooms, Bok Choy, Ginger and Scallions

Buckwheat Noodles with Shitake Mushrooms, Bok Choy, Ginger and Scallions

¼ pound fresh shitake mushrooms (can’t imagine you would go wrong with any sturdy *wild* mushroom like portabello, cremini, etc.)
½ large or two small heads of bok choy
Salt
6 ounces thin dried buckwheat or soba noodles
2 Tbls light vegetable or peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbl grated fresh ginger
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies, halved lengthwise and finely sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 Tbl toasted sesame oil
2 Tbls mirin (a Japanese sweet cooking wine, I am sure you could sub a little sugar)
2 Tbls soy sauce
2 Tbls cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Remove the mushroom stems and cut the caps into ½ inch slices. For small heads of bok choy, slice the stem lengthwise, leaving stem and leaf together. For a large head, slice the stems diagonally, ¾ inch thick, and slice the leaves into 2-inch-wide ribbons.

When the water boils, add 1 tsp salt. Add the noodles and cook as directed on the package, normally 8 to 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan; add the shitake mushrooms and ¼ tsp salt. Sauté over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chilies, and bok choy and sauté for 2 minutes.

Drain the pasta in a colander when it is just tender. Reduce the heat under the sauté pan and add the scallion, sesame oil, mirin, and soy sauce. Quickly add the noodles, taking care not to overcook the bok choy. Remove from heat; toss the noodles with the vegetables and cilantro, and season with salt to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

(Recipe not mine -- it's courtesy of Monkeytoe)