serves 4
For most of my life, I ate buckwheat one way—as kasha at my grandmother’s table. She served it in the traditional Russian Jewish style, boiled until just shy of mushy, then topped with sweet, charred, near-black onions and plenty of sautéed mushrooms.
Then I went to college and discovered a whole other buckwheat culture bobbing away in the soup pots of the Upper West Side’s Japanese restaurants. Smooth, gentle soba noodles immediately replaced nubby kasha as my favorite buckwheat endeavor, and they still are. I just love how the smoky earthiness of the grain is softened by the silky, slippery texture of the noodles, which slide past my lips when slicked with broth or oil (in this case, fragrant, toasty sesame oil).
This robust and sustaining soba salad, seasoned with ginger, orange juice, and soy sauce and garnished with crunchy cucumber, is an ideal dish to serve to all your gluten-free vegetarian friends, of which I have at least one. Just make sure you buy gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, and certified gluten-free soba noodles, because although pure buckwheat is naturally gluten free (despite the name, buckwheat is a grass, not a grain), soba noodles are sometimes made with regular wheat flour.
7 to 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
2 tablespoons toasted (Asian) sesame oil, plus more to taste
3½ tablespoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
Pinch kosher salt
½ (12.8-ounce) package soba noodles (see headnote)
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (from about ½ small orange)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 medium cucumber, peeled
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lightly toasted sesame seeds
½ pound extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced into ¾-inch-thick slabs
1 tablespoon peanut oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1½ teaspoons toasted (Asian) sesame oil
1. MAKE THE SALAD: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Slice the mushroom caps into ¼-inch-wide strips. Toss the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, ½ tablespoon of the soy sauce, and a pinch of salt. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and slightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse quickly under cold running water; drain again completely.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the orange juice, vinegar, and ginger.
5. Cut the cucumber lengthwise into quarters and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each quarter crosswise into thin slices.
6. MAKE THE TOFU CROUTONS, IF DESIRED: Pat the tofu slabs dry with a paper towel. In a nonstick pan over medium heat, heat the peanut oil. When it shimmers, add the tofu and let it cook undisturbed (stand away from the tofu) for 3 minutes. It should be golden brown on the bottom. Flip the tofu pieces and cook for about 2 minutes more, until the underside is golden. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari or soy sauce and sesame oil. Pour it into the pan with the croutons and cook for 1 minute more. Drain the croutons on a paper towel–lined plate.
7. ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, cucumber, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and dressing. Serve topped with tofu croutons, if desired. Drizzle the salad with more soy sauce and sesame oil just before serving if it needs perking up.