There's something about the shift from one month to the next that has me looking for simple food to nourish me and mine. And when that shift is from June to July, that means bowl meals that lean into Asian flavors that can be made in minutes and enjoyed quickly before moving on to the next thing or lingered over while visiting with old friends. It's the time of the year that my gardens are thick with flowers and herbs and just the beginning of vegetables. It's the time of year when I'm as likely to sit around a fire pit laughing into the night as I am to crawl into bed early because we spent the afternoon doing all kinds of yard work. So let's find some great ways to fuel our bodies, nourish our spirits, and do it in short order so we can enjoy whatever the night holds.
This time around, a Korean-inspired noodle bowl crowned with spicy miso tilapia is taking center stage. Spicy gochujang paste gets blended with soy sauce and minced garlic for a tasty sauce that coats ribbon rice noodles, tender tilapia, and lightly stir fried carrots, bell peppers, and bok choy. Feel free to use any color of bell pepper in this recipe and cut the boy choy to similarly sized pieces that will cook evenly with the other vegetables. Do pat the fish dry before cooking - it will help it to form a bit of a crisp on the edges as you cook it. Making just one sauce that gets used throughout makes this recipe quick and easy. What's more, because tilapia is such a mild fish, it takes on the sauce's flavors easily and if you have leftovers, you need not worry about fishy smells when reheating it for lunch.
I like making this recipe and splitting it up into two lunch portions for my husband and myself and then packaging the rest into individual serving bowls with lids to take on a quick and easy picnic dinner. This is the time of the year that easy meals that travel well are so important. And how fun is it that you can picnic beyond sandwiches? However, you decide to serve these fun Korean pasta bowls, enjoy!
Spicy Miso Tilapia with Veggie Noodles
- 3 tablespoons gochujang spicy miso sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 ounces rice ribbon noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 c. coarsely shredded carrots
- 1 c. sliced yellow bell peppers
- 2-4 baby bok choy, depending on size
- 4 (5- to 6-oz.) tilapia fillets
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whisk together the gochujang sauce, soy sauce and half of the garlic in a small bowl; set aside.
Cook noodles according to the package directions. Drain; reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water. Return the noodles to the saucepan; cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the olive oil, carrots, yellow peppers, and bok choy (slice into halves or quarters depending on their size); stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until bok choy is slightly softened. Add the remaining garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Transfer to a medium bowl; keep warm.
Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
Heat the remaining olive oil in same large skillet over medium heat. Add the fillets to skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fillets begin to brown, turning halfway through. Drizzle each fillet with 2 teaspoons of the gochujang mixture; turn the fillets over. Add the butter to the skillet; cook for 1-2 minutes or until the tilapia is fully cooked. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, stir the remaining gochujang mixture and the reserved pasta water into the cooked noodles in the saucepan. Stir in the cooked vegetable mixture. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently.
Divide noodle mixture among 4 serving bowls. Top with the cooked tilapia and serve!
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes