Vegan Zha Jiang Mian - 素炸酱面

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons salty bean paste (or yellow bean sauce/fermented sauce)
• 2 tablespoons of spicy black bean paste (optional, if you skip this, adjust the sweet sauce accordingly)
• 4 tablespoons of sweet bean paste
• 1/2 cup ShaoXing wine (or water)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms (used mini King oyster mushrooms)
• 10 oz firm tofu (mashed)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 onion (cut into 8 wedges)
• 1 leek (white and green part separated, chopped)
• Noodles of choice
• Shredded cucumber and carrot

Instructions

1. 1

   To prepare the sauce, place all the bean pastes in a large mixing bowl, then mix with ShaoXing wine or water until well combined. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a large non-stick pan with about ½ cup of oil, add in the chopped onion and green parts of the leek. Cook them over low-medium heat until they turn brown. Discard or save the onion for other dishes.

3. 3

   Using the same pan, cook mashed tofu until golden brown while stirring continously. Then, add in the mushrooms and cook until aromatic.

4. 4

   Stir in the sauce and turn heat to low. Cook while stirring constantly to prevent it from burning until the oil starts to separate from the mixture.

5. 5

   Season with sugar and stir in the chopped leek (white part).

6. 6

   To serve, cook noodles as directed and place them in a serving bowl.

7. 7

   Ladle a tablespoon of sauce over (more depending on the servings) and serve with shredded cucumber and carrot. Enjoy!