Vegetarian noodle stir-fry

I make variations of this noodle stir-fry for my clients on a regular basis. The other night I made this vegetarian version for me and really enjoyed it! I've used tofu in stir-frys many times before and just recently realized that the trick to the crispy skin is to toss tofu with a little cornstarch. It really makes a difference!
You can also follow the basic recipe and customize the vegetables to your liking. It's a pretty quick and tasty recipe to make so try it out!
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 oz. of Linguini pasta
1 14 oz. package of extra firm tofu cut into cubes
1 cup shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper sliced into long thin strips
1 chopped scallion
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used 1/2 cup each of shiitake and white mushrooms) 
2 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
Sauce ingredients
1/4 cup of Hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
3 tablespoons brown sugar (add an extra tablespoon if you like the sauce a little sweeter)

1. Prep all vegetables in the recipe.

2. Cook the linguini according to directions on package and then drain the noodles. Mix the noodles with a tablespoon of oil so they won’t stick together and then set aside.

3. Drain the excess water from tofu by placing it on a plate and put another plate on top of it for 5-7 minutes.  Pour off the water that gets pressed out of tofu and then dry tofu well with a paper towel. After the tofu is dry toss it with some cornstarch.  

4. Mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a wok or a skillet on heat on high. When the wok is very hot add in the peppers and mushrooms and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes and make sure to move the vegetables around while cooking. Add in carrots, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Stir-fry for 2-3 more minutes to par-cook vegetables while keeping them crunchy. 

6. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

7. Return the pan to the stove and heat up again. Add more vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu and make sure it is in one layer in the pan.

8. Let the tofu brown on one side and then turn it over to brown on the other side. When the tofu is browned on all sides add the vegetables back to the pan with the noodles and the sauce. Combine all ingredients well and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
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9. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro or scallions and serve.