K-Town Noodles

Ingredients

• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce ((or low sodium tamari))
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp molasses
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• ¼ tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 ½ tsp mirin
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger or ginger paste
• 1 scallion, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 package Chuka Soba chow mein noodles ((3 ounces, dry))
• water ((for boiling))
• 1 carrot, sliced in ~2mm-thick rounds
• ½ cup yellow or white onion, sliced in wedges
• 2-3 cups fresh broccoli, cut in small florets
• 1 ½ cups green cabbage, in thick shreds
• ½ small zucchini ((optional))
• 1 dash white pepper, ground
• ½ block firm tofu, cubed ((technically, rectangular prism'd))
• gochugaru ((Korean red pepper flakes))
• gochujang ((Korean red pepper paste))
• sesame seeds ((lightly toasted))