SERVES 4
If you swing by our house just about any night of the week, you’ll catch the aroma of Japanese and Thai ingredients wafting from our kitchen. They’re some of our favorite Asian food cooking styles. We count this Tokyo Soba as one of those household staples. It is sweet, tangy, and a little spicy, with a kick from the ginger dressing. The flavors in this dish are balanced, so that none of them eclipse the others. It’s like a symphony on your palate.
1 9.5-oz package of buckwheat soba noodles
1 Tbsp. grape-seed oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1½ cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
¼ tsp. Himalayan pink salt
½ cup edamame beans, out of the pod
2 cups cabbage, chopped
½ tsp. sesame oil
¼ cup scallions
1 tsp. black sesame seeds (garnish)
1 Cook the buckwheat soba according to the package instructions.
2 When the soba is done, drain it in a strainer, then pour ice water over it. This will prevent the soba from becoming mushy. Set the cool soba aside.
3 Heat the grape-seed oil in a large skillet. Toss in the onions and sauté for 2–3 minutes, or until they are tender. Add mushrooms and salt, sauté for another 2–3 minutes, then add edamame and cabbage and sauté for about 2 minutes more, until the cabbage is wilted and soggy.
4 Turn the heat off and stir in sesame oil for flavor. Transfer the veggies to a bowl to cool off.
5 In a large bowl combine the soba, veggies, and scallions. Douse the salad with the Miso Ginger Dressing and a little sprinkle of black sesame seeds.
