Vegetable Yakisoba 

Yakisoba is a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish with a rich Worcestershire-flavored sauce. This veggie-packed version combines carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms and kale for a fun mix of textures and flavors. The key in this dish is to sauté the yakisoba noodles first, creating a dryer, firmer noodle that won’t fall apart in the sauce. (Fresh ramen noodles would also work well here.) The tangy-sweet sauce consists mainly of pantry condiments and can be made the day before. Leftovers can be enjoyed the traditional street food way: reheated and served in buttered hot dog buns topped with Japanese mayo and pickled ginger.

Ingredients

• 1

  pound frozen presteamed yakisoba noodles, thawed

• 3

  tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or canola

• 1

  small yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 2

  medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

• 1

  large red bell pepper, stemmed, cored and thinly sliced 

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1

  tablespoon minced garlic

• 8

  ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

• 8

  ounces baby kale

• 1

  cup thinly sliced scallions

Preparation

1. Make the yakisoba: Place yakisoba noodles in a colander and rinse under room-temperature water. Using your hands, gently loosen and separate noodles. Drain well. 
2. In a 12-inch high-sided nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add noodles and spread in an even layer; cook undisturbed until golden and charred in spots, 3 minutes. Stir noodles once, then cook undisturbed until golden and charred in spots on the other side, 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a large plate.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
4. To the skillet over medium, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, onion, carrot and bell pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and charred in spots, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until well combined, then add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in kale in batches until wilted. Add the noodles, sauce and all but 1/4 cup of the scallions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is absorbed, about 3 minutes. (Noodles should be nicely coated in the sauce but not soupy.) Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Divide yakisoba among 4 plates and garnish with the remaining scallions. Serve warm.