Paleo Hoisin Broccoli w/ Tamari Walnuts and Crispy Noodle Pancake

Curiosity peaked my interest about the tamari and walnut combination in I Sing in the Kitchen's recipe; satisfaction brought the dish back for several reasons.

First, the tamari sauce and walnuts tasted incredible together! With a pinch of salt, they could be served on their own as an appetizer or snack.

Second, the discovery of homemade paleo hoisin sauce was a revelation. It tastes clean and authentic without containing any questionable ingredients. It would go well with other veggies, meats, or fish.

And third, the dish was just as good without the pancake. Cutting out that step makes the dish ready to serve in a jiffy, even though there are lots of steps. You can prepare the sauces and prep the broccoli ahead of time. It should all come together in about half an hour in any case.

My Paleo Marin Rating: 
Tamari Walnuts: 5 Persimmons
Paleo Hoisin Sauce: 5 Persimmons
Broccoli: 5 Persimmons
Crispy Noodle Pancake: 0 Persimmons

Ingredients:

For the Tamari Walnuts:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 tablespoon tamari sauce

For the Paleo Hoisin Sauce:

Image from Amazon UK

Juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon white rice vinegar, preferably Amoy brand
5 tablespoons tamari sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or powder
1 teaspoon tomato paste

For the Cooking Sauce:

1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons white rice vinegar, preferably Amoy brand
1 tablespoon Paleo Hoisin Sauce (recipe above)
1 tablespoon tamari sauce
1 teaspoon coconut sugar

For the Broccoli:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 lb. broccoli, stems trimmed and heads cut into florets

For the Noodle Pancake:*
8 ounces crispy Chinese rice noodles
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil


Directions:

For the Tamari Walnuts:

1. Heat a wok over medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil.

2. Turn the heat to low, and add the walnuts. Stir constantly for about 10 seconds until they start to get slightly darker in color.

3. Add the tamari sauce to the walnuts, and stir until well coated (about 20 seconds). Watch carefully so they don't burn.

4. Set aside to cool.

For the Paleo Hoisin Sauce:

1. Add all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Stir frequently and watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

2. Pour into a small container; sauce will get thicker as it cools off. Cover and store extra in the fridge for up to two weeks.

For the Cooking Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, add the sesame oil, rice vinegar, Paleo Hoisin Sauce, tamari sauce, and coconut sugar. Whisk until smooth, and set aside.

For the Broccoli:

1. To the wok, add 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil, and heat to medium-low. Add the ginger, garlic and red pepper. Stir constantly for about 20 seconds. Remove from heat as necessary to prevent burning.

2. Turn up the heat to medium, and add another tablespoon of grapeseed oil if necessary. Stir fry the broccoli until it is well-coated with the oil and seasonings. Cover with a lid, and cook over medium low heat until crispy-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently.

3. Add the Cooking Sauce mixture, and stir to coat. Cook until sauce thickens a bit, about 3 minutes.

For the Noodle Pancake:

1. In a medium frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil. Heat to medium.

2. Form a pancake shape with the noodles, and place in the frying pan.

3. Cook for a couple of minutes, then turn the pancake over by placing a plate over the pancake, turning it over, and then putting it back in the frying pan with another tablespoon of oil if needed. Heat for another 2-3 minutes.

To Serve:

1. Place the pancake on a serving plate.

2. Spoon the broccoli mixture on the pancake, and sprinkle with the tamari walnuts.

3. Cut into wedges and serve.

#paleo #broccoli #walnuts #hoisin #tamari #chinese #asian #sidedish #maincourse #vegetarian #vegan #healthyeats 

Recipe for the paleo hoisin sauce from the Eat, Drink, Paleo website here.

*I bought already-cooked noodles by mistake because they looked like the photo in the original recipe. For the softer noodles and recipe, see the recipe from I Sing in the Kitchen blog here. 

My Paleo Marin Rating 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.