Servings: 4

NOODLES: subheading: NOODLES:
9 ounces noodles, such as udon 9 ounces noodles, such as udon
4 heads baby bok choy, cut lengthwise into thin strips 4 heads baby bok choy, cut lengthwise into thin strips
 
SESAME SAUCE: subheading: SESAME SAUCE:
¼ cup tahini* ¼ cup tahini*
½ cup vegetable broth or water, warmed ½ cup vegetable broth or water, warmed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon hot chili oil** 1 tablespoon hot chili oil**
1 teaspoon agave or your favorite liquid sweetener 1 teaspoon agave or your favorite liquid sweetener
1 clove garlic, minced 1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tablespoon safflower, grapeseed, or other neutral oil 1 tablespoon safflower, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
8 ounces tempeh 8 ounces tempeh
1 shallot, diced 1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
 
TOPPINGS: subheading: TOPPINGS:
green onions green onions
sliced cucumbers sliced cucumbers
toasted sesame seeds toasted sesame seeds
toasted peanuts toasted peanuts
 
* Tahnini is just like peanut butter, but made of sesame seeds note: Tahnini is just like peanut butter, but made of sesame seeds
* * Can't find? Just use toasted sesame oil and squirt in some Sriracha if you want some heat. note: * Can't find? Just use toasted sesame oil and squirt in some Sriracha if you want some heat.

Stick a large soup pot of water on the stove for the noodles and get it boiling over medium heat. Cook the noodles according to whatever the package directions say but just be sure to throw in the bok choy during the last minute of the pasta cooking. Drain and then run it under cool water so the look chop stays looking bright green.
While that shit is cooking, make the sesame sauce: mix together the tahini, broth, vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, and agave in a medium glass until it looks all smooth and mixed up. Stir in the garlic and 5-spice powder, then set that shit aside.
In a wok or medium skillet, warm up the safflower oil over medium heat. Crumble in the temper in bite-size pieces and sauté it around until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the shallot and ginger and cook for a minute longer to give the shallot time to soften up. Add the 5-spice powder, vinegar, and soy sauce and cook for another minute to let everything absorb. Remove from the heat.
To assemble the bowl, pour one-quarter of the sesame sauce in the bottom of each bowl, add some noodles and baby bok choy, drizzle on a little more sauce, then top with the temper and whatever other topping you wanna throw at it. Serve warm or chilled, your call. This shit is great as leftovers, so double up and take to work for lunch.