- ½ cup gluten, cut into ¼-inch slices
- Oil for deep-frying
- 8 cups boiling water (4 cups for rinsing seitan, 4 cups for cooking greens)
- 2 fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups finely chopped greens (kale, collard or mustard greens, or broccoli rabe)
- 17-ounce package Chinese rice noodles
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced very thin
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons natural soy sauce
- 2 slices fresh ginger, 1/8 inch thick
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup white miso
- 3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1½ teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Deep-fry the gluten slices until they are golden and crispy. Transfer the slices to a colander and rinse with 4 cups of boiling water to remove any excess oil. Squeeze the slices firmly, then cut them into ¼-inch strips. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the dressing. Using a fork or spoon, mix the water and miso together in a small saucepan until smooth. Add the remaining dressing ingredients and combine well. Heat over medium heat. Just before the mixture begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat.
- Remove and discard the woody stem from each shiitake mushroom and cut the caps into 1/8-inch slices. (If using the dried variety, you must first reconstitute them. Simply soak the mushrooms in ½ cup warm water for about 20 minutes.) Set the slices aside.
- Plunge the greens into the remaining boiling water for 3 minutes, then into cold water. Drain and squeeze the greens to remove excess water, then set aside.
- Boil the rice noodles until they are just tender. Drain them immediately, then rinse briefly with cold water.
- To make the Seasoning Broth, combine the water, soy sauce, and ginger slices in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the seitan and mushrooms, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently for even coating. Continue to simmer until no liquid remains. Remove the ginger slices.
- Add the seitan-mushroom mixture to the noodles. Also add the cooked greens, bell pepper, and dressing. Lightly toss and serve.