Dinner Tonight: Soba Noodles with Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Tofu
I picked this recipe from the Perfect Pantry mainly because of the sauce, which somehow manages to successfully combine soy sauce, hoisin, Sriracha, lime juice, and agave nectar. (I only stash the last one in my pantry for cocktails.) But the resulting sauce manages to make everything it touches taste better.
So take the vegetables listed here as merely a guide. I can imagine bok choy working really well. I also added some tofu to bulk out the recipe and make it less of an appetizer and more of a main dish.
Everything works really well, but I'm still getting used to soba noodles. They make sense in theory, and I love everything they are paired with, but I'm always a little confused by the noodle's temperature. Almost every recipe I find has them at room temperature, or even cooler than that. For someone who eats Italian pasta warm at least once a week, I find the cold noodles a different sensation, if one I'm happy to try and figure out.
About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a freelance writer in Chicago and the co-founder of The Paupered Chef.
Soba Noodles with Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Tofu
- serves 2 to 3 -
Ingredients
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 teaspooon sriracha
1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar (or honey)
1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
6 ounces soba noodles
3 tablespoons canola oil
6 ounces tofu
1/2 pound asparagus, woody stems remoed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, stem removed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
Procedure
1. Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Sriracha, agave nectar, and lime juice to a bowl. Whisk until combined. Pour half of the sauce into another bowl.
2. Place the block of tofu between two kitchen towels. Press down gently to remove as much water as possible without breaking up the tofu. Chop into half-inch cubes. Add the tofu to one of the bowls of sauce. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to make sure it is covered in sauce.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the soba according to the directions on the packaging. Toss into a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Let the soba drain in the colander.
4. Pour two tablespoons of the oil into a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, scallions, and the bell pepper and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked. Set aside.
5. Remove the tofu from the sauce, quickly pat dry with some paper towels. Pour the rest of the oil into the skillet, and then add the tofu. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to get browned on all sides.
6. Pour the other half of the sauce over the soba noodles, and stir well. Add the vegetables and the tofu, and garnish with the peanuts. Serve at room temperature, or, better yet, cold.
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5 Comments:
Soba can be eaten hot in a hot soba broth.
but when it's hot and humid, zaru soba (washed in running tap water, served in a bamboo strainer=zaru, with cold dipping sauce--nori and wasabi are must) tastes so much better than a hot noodle soup. zaru is the best way to really taste soba itself, btw.
hmw0029 at 5:02PM on 06/29/09
Now we're talking. I love Soba noodles. I agree with the comment above about zaru but I am partial to eating them warm. I love the texture.
The Healthy Irishman at 6:19PM on 06/29/09
I can't explain why the sauce works, but it does -- and I've tried it now with wheat pasta, on shrimp, and as a dipping sauce for nime chow. Thanks for trying my recipe.
Lydia at 7:03PM on 06/29/09
In Asia, one thing I have always enjoyed is that in areas without refrigeration, food is often held till the next day and eaten at room temp. There are always more subtle flavors in a warm food over a cold one. One neat little trick I saw was the food kept in an unglazed pot with a little water poured over the outside. Evaporation dropped the temp a few degrees and I guess retarded bacterial growth a little till the next day.
Fred Rickson at 9:24AM on 06/30/09
Loved this sauce! It was almost meaty in taste. Used baby bok choy, yellow bell pepper, oyster mushrooms, snow peas, and tofu. Turned out great.
Mary_Eats at 2:47PM on 07/02/09