Soba Noodle Salad

posted by Susan T 12-08-99 6:40 PM

This next recipe is also from August Home's Cuisine. It is from the July/August 1999 issue; page 24-25.
Soba Noodle Salad
(makes about 8 cups)

1/2 lb. dried soba noodles
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed, halved
3 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and "torn"
2 red bell peppers, julienned
3/4 cup whole cilantro leaves
1/2 cup green onions, bias cut
1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped


Vinaigrette for the salad:
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
1 serrano chile, sliced into rings
1 Tbsp. ginger, peeled and grated
Salt and pepper to taste


Combine all the vinigrette ingredients in a small bowl. You can grate the ginger right into the bowl.

Cook soba like Italian pasta--in a lot of boiling, salted water. You need at least 8 cups water and 1 Tbsp. salt for 1/2 pound of soba noodles. Cook noodles 4-6 minutes. Drain, but don't rinse them. It's okay if they seem sticky; toss with sesame oil to help "unstick" them. Set aside.

Blanch trimmed, halved green beans in boiling, salted water about 4 minutes. Taste for doneness--you're looking for al dente, like pasta. Immediately transfer beans to bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Remove from water, then pat dry. Water will dilute vinaigrette.

Wipe dirt from shiitakes with a damp paper towel and remove stem. For an interesting look to the salad, "tear" mushrooms into pieces. Saute half of shiitakes until brown in 1 Tbsp. oil in large skillet over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Saute second batch in 1 Tbsp. more oil.

Halve, seed, and julienne the red peppers. Slice onions on the bias, holding knife at a 45° angle to onions. Prepare cilantro leaves and cashews.

Finally, toss everything (except the cashews) in a large bowl. Use your hands here--they don't break up the noodles like a spoon does.

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