START TO FINISH: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Nutty-flavored soba noodles, peppery watercress and no-fuss frozen, shelled edamame combine for this refreshing yet hearty vegetarian dish. This is one-pot cooking at its simplest; the edamame go in a few minutes before the soba are done cooking—the noodles and legumes finish together. Toasted sesame seeds add a finishing crunch. Watercress is sold bunched like mature spinach, as well as “live” with roots attached; either type works well in this recipe. Grab two bunches if the stems are wispy, or three if the stems are thick. Thin, delicate stems are perfectly edible, but you’ll want to pluck off any that are tough and fibrous.
Don’t thaw the edamame before using; they cook fine from frozen.
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
12 ounces dried soba noodles
10-ounce bag frozen shelled edamame (2 cups)
2 or 3 bunches watercress (see note), stemmed (about 5 cups)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce and sesame oil. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the soba and cook until tender; add the edamame during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
Add the watercress to the hot pot, then return the noodles and edamame to the pot. Drizzle with the grapeseed oil and toss. Add the soy mixture and toss again. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.