Foodstuff: Miso hungry

Maybe it’s because I write for a living, but I get asked quite regularly whether I use ChatGPT. The answer is no, I do not, and it’s not because I’m standing on some sort of principle that people should do their own writing and not ask a computer for help.

It’s purely because I’m something of a tech idiot.

Doesn’t matter if this virtual assistance makes my life easier, I love all things analog. I still write paper checks, for heaven’s sake. This delightful quirk is much to the amusement of my inner circle, so I decided to break out of my rut and get with the techy times.

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I recently cooked a recipe using white miso, which I never have in my kitchen, so I was curious what I might do with the leftover paste. Rather than my usual google search, someone suggested I ask ChatGPT to come up with a recipe, which my friends and family use all the time for meal planning. Who knew everyone was running home at night and asking a pretend chef what to do in the kitchen?

Behold, a delicious, vegan dinner dish was born. Pay attention to the cook’s notes here because I made some modifications based on my taste, what I had in my kitchen, and what I suspected might be some slightly off-kilter ratios.

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Katherine: One, Artificial Intelligence: Zero. You don’t know everything, Computer Man.

MISO GARLIC TOFU NOODLES

Serves two

One package tofu “spaghetti”*

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp white miso paste**

1 Tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)***

1 tsp rice vinegar****

½ tsp grated ginger

½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

¼ cup vegetable broth or water

½ cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced*****

½ cup baby spinach******

1 green onion, sliced

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Heat sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes until softened. In a small bowl, whisk miso paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and vegetable broth. Pour the miso mixture into the pan, and bring to a light simmer. Add tofu spaghetti noodles, and toss to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in baby spinach, and let it wilt. Add red pepper flakes to taste if using. Serve topped with green onions and sesame seeds.

Cook’s notes

*You can find these near the dairy in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, next to the more traditional tofu.

** through ****: The sauce seemed rather un-saucy to me, so I doubled the amounts here to make the marinade.

*****I like mushrooms, so I used a full 8-ounce package here, with excellent results.

******I used half of a container of baby spinach, about 5 ounces.

Once many of the amounts in the recipe were doubled, this gluten free, dairy-free noodle dish was a great pick-me-up after a long stretch of eating not-so-great. While I can’t promise I’ll start to turn to tech before I pick up a pot or pan, the AI-inspired meal will become a regular in my rotation.

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who, as a tech neophyte, is in a love/hate relationship with her new Apple Watch, which dings at her constantly. She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.