Ginger

Tamari soy sauce is similar to regular soy sauce but is slightly thicker and has a richer flavor. It is available at most grocery stores. Besides being the perfect condiment for the tofu, this sauce makes a nice addition to the soba noodles—just drizzle a little bit on top.

Grocery stores often carry several kinds of tofu, so be sure to buy the firm variety for this dish. Pressing the tofu removes excess water and allows it to soak up the peppery marinade.

You can purchase a whole roast duck at your local Chinese restaurant. Some varieties of noodles suggest soaking them in boiling water instead of cooking them; check your package instructions before preparing them.

Season the chicken a day ahead so it has time to absorb the flavors.

For a side dish, try basmati rice cooked with a pinch of saffron.

Brine-curing the pork makes it soft, tender, and juicy. The pork is cut into small pieces, so it only needs to be cured for 4 hours.

Brush on fish, chicken, and burgers.

Both the ribs and the greens need to marinate overnight, so plan accordingly.

Similar greens—such as yow choy, also known as choy sum (which looks almost identical to bok choy but bears small yellow flowers), broccolini, or even regular broccoli—will work well in this dish if you can’t find Chinese broccoli. You can buy wide rice noodles at Asian grocery stores, or use the narrow rice noodles (often labeled “pad thai noodles”) that many supermarkets carry.

This marinade may be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.