Soba Noodle Salad

Cold, light and refreshing.  A great mayo-free alternative to pasta salad.  The noodles drink up a lot of dressing and needs lots of seasoning.

• 12 ounces soba noodles, cooked and rinsed thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process
• sesame oil
• soy sauce
• honey
• rice wine vinegar
• grated ginger
• grated garlic
• chili sauce, optional
• chopped green onion
• salt, pepper
• red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• carrot, julienned
• sugar snaps thinly sliced
• sesame seeds

Make dressing (oil, vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, chili sauce, salt, pepper) and make overly salty to ensure adequate seasoning of the noodles

Pour over the noodles and mix to ensure that the noodles are well-coated

Add veggies and mix

Top with more green onions and sprinkle sesame seeds

 

Rice Noodles with Gravy

• 6-8 dried mushrooms, rehydrated in 2 cups hot water
• 1 pound fresh rice noodles
• soy sauce
• 2 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• sweet sauce sauce
• whole fermented bean sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 ounces sliced pork (may also add shrimp)
• 2 fistfuls Chinese greens
• 1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch mixed in water to dissolve

In a wok, heat oil on high heat and add rice noodles, a few handfuls at a time, to the pan, adding soy sauce to achieve brown color.  Allow the noodles to brown or char a bit.  Pour noodles into the serving dish.

Add more oil and stir fry ginger and garlic until fragrant.  Add dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced).  Once the mushrooms have let out their water, add dark soy sauce, sweet sauce sauce, whole fermented bean sauce, chicken broth and mushroom water (if dried mushrooms used, otherwise, add more plain water).  Once seasoning is at desired level, add pork slices and vegetables.  Add shrimp when veggies are almost done, if using).  Once cooked through, add a slurry of water and corn starch and bring sauce to a boil to thicken.  Pour over noodles and serve immediately.  Serve with pickle chilis or chili sambal.