Indonesian Rice Noodles with Long Beans and Seitan

From “Big Vegan” by Robin Asbell.

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 8 ounces seitan, chopped into bite-size pieces (see Note)
• 8 ounces fresh long beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces (see Note)
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
• 4 large shallots, chopped
• 1 large fresh red Thai or serrano chile, chopped, divided
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 inch peeled fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 2 medium limes (1 zested and juiced, 1 quartered), divided
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 6 ounces dried rice vermicelli
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark miso (see note)
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai (or regular) basil, julienned
• 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. In a wok or large frying pan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the seitan, beans, carrot, shallots, half of the chile, the garlic, ginger, lime zest, ground coriander and turmeric. Stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Taste and add more chile, if desired.

Cook the noodles in the boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and rinse them.

In a cup or medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, miso and molasses. Add the mixture to the vegetables and bring everything to a boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Add the drained noodles to the pan, coating them well with sauce. Cook until the sauce is thick and clinging to the noodles. Add the basil and serve, topped with the peanuts and with lime wedges on the side.

Serves 6.

Note: Can’t find long beans (also called Chinese long beans or yard-long beans)? Substitute fresh green beans.

Note: Seitan is made from wheat and is protein-rich, with a meatlike texture. It’s located either next to soy in the refrigerated section or in the freezer of supermarkets; in Asian markets it’s found in cans labeled “mock duck.”

Note: Miso is a soybean paste, located in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Per serving: 304 calories; 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 33 percent calories from fat); 40 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 590 mg sodium; 13 g protein; 5 g fiber.