Chinese-Style Mock Duck With Noodles

No claims to authenticity with this recipe. I was super intrigued by the can of "duck" at the Chinese grocery and I made up a recipe to use it. The thick, tangy sauce goes well with the "meaty" duck substitute and eggplant. If you can't find the vegetarian duck at your grocery store, I'd substitute seitan since that appears to be the main ingredient in the vegetarian duck. Also, be warned that the recipe is kind of salty. If you prefer less-salty foods you could use less soy sauce (still adding water to make 3/4 cup) and be sure to rinse the "duck" extra well.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 6  ounces  noodles, I used dry udon, but spaghetti would work just fine
• 1  very long Chinese eggplant, sliced (or 2-3 of the shorter japanese eggplants)
• 1  zucchini, sliced
• 1 (10 ounce) can  vegetarian duck
• 2  teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1  garlic clove, grated
• 2  scallions, sliced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  red chili pepper flakes
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon preserved black bean

• Sauce

• 1⁄3 cup soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon oyster sauce (for vegetarians, use the mushroom "oyster-style" sauce, or omit)
• 1  teaspoon vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  sesame oil
•  water, enough to make 3/4 cup sauce

Directions

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions. (Note: My udon had fairly elaborate directions involving: three boilings, the addition of cold water, a 5 minute "rest" after boiling, and a final rinse in cold water. Though this seemed overly fussy, I followed the directions exactly and was rewarded with the best home-cooked dry noodles/pasta I've ever eaten. So follow the directions for best results :-).).
2. Rinse "duck" thoroughly. Dry with a paper towel and slice into bite-size pieces.
3. Heat oil and black beans (smashed slightly) in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, zucchini, and "duck". Stir-fry for about three minutes, until vegetables start to soften.
4. Add ginger, garlic, scallions, and chili flakes. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked.
5. Meanwhile combine sauce ingredients in a 2 c measuring cup, adding enough water to make a total of 3/4 cups sauce. Stir very well to incorporate cornstarch.
6. Add sauce mixture to stir fry, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes until it bubbles and thickens.
7. Add cooked noodles to the pan and stir to combine. Serve hot.