Vegan Charlie Chan Pasta

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When we say or think pasta, it'll always be the Italian staples - aglio olio, carbonara, even plain ol' spaghetti.
This is a special kind of pasta, so special because it's two cultures in one.
Asian meets Italian in this wonderful dish - spaghetti prepared like an Asian stir fry, and I love both!
When one thinks Asian, one thinks traditional noodles, but not the Charlie Chan.
I've come to love it lately and I'm such a fan of this asian-fusion dish from Yellow Cab's menu.
It's delicious, savory, and hits me right in that particular spot I have for a good pasta dish.

Two things did come cross my mind when I first stumbled on this delicious dish:
1) Who is this Charlie and what's he got to do with the pasta?
2) How do I make and recreate this wonderful dish at home?


But perhaps it is a good idea to get to the dish first before knowing who this character is.

For ingredients,

500g spaghetti, cooked according to package instructions
2 blocks firm tofu
about a cup of shiitake mushrooms, washed and soaked (save the water where it was soaked)
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
4 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 whole head of garlic, minced
spring onions (garnish)
1 tbsp chili flakes (garnish, optional)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash shiitake mushrooms then soak in water until tender. Remove mushrooms and reserve about 1 cup water it has soaked in. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside.
  2. Slice tofu. One block creates about 4 slices. Fry with about 1 tbsp of sesame oil in a pan until golden brown and crisp and cut in to strips.
  3. On a wok, add sesame oil and sauté garlic
  4. Add tofu and mushrooms then stir fry and set aside, season accordingly
  5. On same wok, add in the reserved mushroom water, peanut butter, and hoisin sauce. Let slightly thicken then add in the cooked pasta and mix and coat pasta well.
  6. Serve and garnish with chopped spring onions, roasted peanuts, fresh cracked black pepper and chili flakes

Now, while we bite in to this and slurp the savory goodness, I think it's time to do some sleuthing and discover who this Charlie Chan fellow is, hmm?

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