• Prep noodles according to package instructions, making sure to slightly undercook. My noodles take 9-11 minutes to boil, so I cook them for 8 minutes. Strain and set aside.
• While noodles are boiling, prep ingredients - mince garlic (about 3 cloves) and ginger, chop green onions, peel and wash bok choy, and separate and wash clamshell mushrooms. Make sure to save green onion heads.

Soup base

• In mediun pot, on high heat, simmer garlic and ginger with chili oil and vegetable oil for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and beginning to brown
• Reduce heat and VERY carefully and slowly pour in a half cup of vegetable broth. Be prepared for the oil to spatter and sizzle since it's mixing with liquid. Pour in remaining broth and turn heat to medium
• Add soy sauce, cooking wine, and green onion heads. Taste and add additional soy sauce or salt if desired. Add chili flakes. Leave to simmer on low - medium heat while prepping tofu

Sweet & sour tofu

• Thinly slice tofu block in slices about 1/4 in. thick. You should have about 12 slices
• In medium pan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in pan on high heat and grill tofu until each side is brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil as needed. Remove tofu from pan and place to the side
• On high heat in same pan, simmer ginger and garlic in 1 tbsp vegetable oil until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes
• Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cooking wine into pan on medium heat. If not using cooking wine, replace with water. I would recommend pre-mixing this in a cup so you're not rushing to measure ingredients at this point. Add sugar into pan and stir to dissolve. Bring to simmer.
• Mix corn starch into water until dissolved and add to pan. The sauce will begin to thicken and if you drag your spatula through, it should part and come back together slowly.
• Add grilled tofu back to pan and toss so that each slice is lightly and evenly coated in the sauce. Remove from pan and set aside

Bring it all together

• Place peeled and washed bok choy in soup base and raise heat to high. Boil bok choy until tender, about ~3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and boil for an additional minute. Add noodles and boil for an additional minute
• Remove green onion heads and divide into two bowls. Top with tofu and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with additional chili flakes if desired and enjoy while piping hot!