Green Beans and Tofu Skins With Rice Sticks

I still have dried bean curd sheets in the pantry and have been looking for recipes the past few weeks. The recipe below from Mark Bittman may fit the bill.

Note: I tried this recipe tonight. It tasted okay except for the tofu skin, which had a very strong taste that the partner didn't like. Might make this again, but with plain ol' tofu.

I first had this in a restaurant in Flushing, Queens, which I visited with Peter Meehan, who writes The Times’s $25 and Under column. It took some work to get my version close, but I think it’s pretty good.

Green Beans and Tofu Skins With Rice Sticks

Yield 4 servings

Time 30 minutes

Summary

If you can find fresh tofu skins, so much the better, but the dried ones will do just fine.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dried rice stick noodles (fettuccine-thickness type), available in Asian markets
• 4 ounces dried tofu skins, or 6 ounces fresh, available in Asian markets
• 2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• Whole dried Thai chilies, to taste (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound green or wax beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste

Method

• 1. Put rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. If you are using dried tofu, put in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak skins until pliable, about 10 minutes, then drain well and cut into long, wide ribbons. (If using fresh, simply cut them.)
• 2. Put peanut oil and half the sesame oil in a deep skillet or wok and turn heat to medium-high. Add ginger and a couple of chilies if you like, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until ginger is soft, just a minute. Add beans and 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until softened a bit but still crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 3. Add tofu skins and another spoonful or two of water. Cook, stirring frequently, until skins are heated through and beans are done, a couple of minutes. Drain noodles, toss them in, and continue to cook, until noodles are heated through and mixed well with remaining ingredients; add a little more water if necessary to keep mixture moist. Drizzle with soy sauce and remaining sesame oil, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

Source: The New York Times