Sesame Soba Noodles

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Sesame Dressing:

20g red miso

75g tahini

4g fresh ginger, peeled and grated on the microplane

30ml (2 tbls) rice wine vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil 

20ml soy sauce 

50ml cold dashi or water

Pinch salt

For noodles:

180g soba 

100g mushrooms (black wood ear or shiitake) optional

1 head bok Choy, cleaned and separated into leaves

6g green shallot (spring onion) sliced thinly into rounds

Rayu and/or furikake to garnish

Method:

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk, adding a little more dashi (if using) or water to thin the dressing to a pouring cream consistency. Check for seasoning and adjust with a pinch more salt or vinegar so its to your liking. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Set up a sieve in the sink ready to strain the noodles. Drop the soba into the water and give them a stir so they are completely submerged. Cook then for 4 minutes. At the 3.5 minute mark, drop in the box Choy leaves to just cook for a further 30 seconds. Pour the whole thing into the sieve and then immediately run the cold water over everything to stop it from cooking further. Set aside. Cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes in a small pan with 50 ml of water or dashi and a pinch of salt and when finished, scoop them out and drop them onto the noodles.

Toss the noddles, mushrooms and box Choy together and divide in 2 bowls. Top with generous spoonfuls of the dressing and a shower of the sliced green shallot. You may not use all the dressing! Add as much or as little as you like. Add a spoonful of chunky chili oil or furikake or both. Serve cold.

This also makes excellent picnic food as its good at room temperature.