Spring III: Mixed Noodles and Mushrooms

Had a very frustrating morning trying to make a dressing for tatsoi salad. Got a surprise carrot and bean salad out of the experience, which will be appearing soon, and then made myself this for lunch - oven roasted mushrooms on top of fresh noodles mixed with herbs and seasoning. The sauces are black Chinese vinegar and tian mian jiang (sweet wheat paste, or sweet Beijing sauce), and sesame oil. All should be easy to find if you have a Chinese market near you, and should be inexpensive.

For each person: Start by chopping 1/4 lb of mushrooms and sprinkle olive oil and salt on them, then pop in the oven for 15 min. on an uncovered pan. When they are nearly done put 1 tsp tian mian jiang, 1 tbs black vinegar, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil in the bottom of your serving bowl. Chop up one handful fresh herbs. (I used Thai basil and the last of my teeth. Can use something milder like watercress too.) I would normally mince half a clove fresh garlic to add, but my garlic was very seedy looking so I added 4 cloves sliced garlic, with the bitter core of each clove discarded, to the pasta water. Garlic is totally optional here. Cook 100g fresh noodles in the boiling salted water til tender, then drain, then toss into bowl with seasonings and stir up til noodles are coated. Top with mushrooms and dig in.