I’ve started to play this dinner game. It’s been brought on by me being too lazy (and on too tight of a budget) to go to the grocery store. So, on the nights that I don’t invite myself to my parents, a few nights a week I venture into my pantry and try to use what I already have to make a sufficient dinner.It’s basically Top Chef, but in my own kitchen. I’m finding that I actually have a lot of canned essentials. So if the big Cali earthquake is going to hit anytime soon – I’m pretty much prepared.
My diet has been consisting of lots of soup and cereal…and soba.
I know…you are probably looking at this picture thinking, what the heck is that? And, why would I ever want to eat grey looking noodles? Did Foodie Byte really just venture into her pantry and eat OLD noodles?
Well – let me tell you, soba noodles are a staple in good Japanese restaurants. Some serve them hot in a soup and others server them cold. I prefer cold soba noodles since they are refreshing, simple and have a unique texture to them.
Benefits of soba noodles:
- Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour (hence the fugly color) and a whole package cooks in boiling water in five minutes. No joke, if you overcook them it comes out mushy.
- Found in most grocery stores for a cheap price (a major plus these days)
- Soba noodles contain rutin, an antioxidant, that helps to prevent heart disease
- And, my recipe takes less than five ingredients
…beat that Rachel Ray.
Below, I’m including an easy soba noodle recipe. It's a quick recipe that is great when I’m busy/starving. These even taste better the next day since they’ve been chillin’ in the fridge all day.
Easy Cold Soba Noodles
Ingredients:
One package of soba noodles
Soy-Sauce (if you want a better taste, opt for an authentic Japanese Soy Sauce)
Sesame oil
Rice vinegar
Honey
Garnish:
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Chives or thinly sliced green onions (optional)
Directions:
Boil a pot of water, once it begins to boil add the soba noodles. Cook for five minutes and drain. Set aside; when cool enough place in the fridge to cool. Can be made ahead.
In a small bowl combine 5 TBS soy sauce, 4.5 TBS sesame oil, 1 TBS rice vinegar and a ½ to 1 TSP of honey (depending on your own liking). Wisk together.
Add sauce to the soba noodles and chill.
Optional: Garnish the dish with sesame seeds (toasted) and the chives or green onions.
If you want to be fancy, serve on top of a bamboo tray with ice cubes underneath the tray.
The key to this dish is tasting the dressing before you add it to the noodles. If you like tart dishes, you’ll probably want to add more rice vinegar. If you like it sweeter, you’ll need to add more honey.
Variations:
The possibilities for soba noodles are endless -
For a more authentic version experiment with different ingredients. Try slicing up some dried seaweed and using it for a garnish.
You can add other ingredients like chunks of tofu or chilled shrimp.
Be adventurous!
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