Yaki Udon Stir-Fry

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the udon noodles. Add tamari, peanut butter, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and ¼ cup warm water to a medium bowl and whisk the sauce. (4-serving meal: use ½ cup warm water)

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan and cook until crispy in places, 4 to 5 minutes. Add turbinado sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until sticky, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. (4-serving meal: use 2 tbsp vegetable oil) TIP: We’ll use this pan again in a later step; you don’t need to rinse it.

Add udon noodles to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain noodles and run under cool water to stop the cooking process.

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in the large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add gai lan, carrot, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet and cook until gai lan is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and set aside. Add udon noodles, seitan, and yaki udon sauce to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, tossing until evenly coated and warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. (4-serving meal: use 2 tbsp vegetable oil) TIP: If your pan isn’t big enough, use the noodle pot to toss the yaki udon.

Divide the yaki udon stir-fry with crispy seitan between two plates and top with stir-fried ginger gai lan. いただきます