Steamed Vegetables With Soba Noodles Recipes

STEAMED VEGETABLES WITH SOBA NOODLES

Steps:

• Fill a medium-large pot with water and bring to a boil.
• Place a vegetable steamer over 1 inch of water in another pot; bring this to a boil also.
• Arrange vegetables in steamer and cover. Cook over medium heat.
• About 3-4 minutes later, add the soba noodles to the boiling water in the first pot. Cover and turn heat to medium. The vegetables and the soba noodles should be done at about the same time (6-8 minutes after the noodles hit the water).
• Drain the noodles and add about 1/2 cup miso-almond sauce and mix.
• Serve vegetables on top of noodles and ladle additional sauce over the vegetables.
• Variations: Try using other vegetables, such as snow peas, zucchini, bok choy, green beans, asparagus, etc. Other sauces can also be used or simply top with tamari soy sauce and grated ginger.
• Source: Vegetarian Tastes of Toronto, p. 33.

BASIL-STEAMED SHRIMP OVER SOBA NOODLES

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and boil for 2 minutes, or until just al dente. Drain the noodles and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to shock and stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
• Trim off 1 inch of the green tops of the scallions and discard. Thinly slice the green tops about halfway to the white base and set aside. Cut off the white base and split it in half lengthwise. Set aside.
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove only the orange part, or zest, from the skin of the orange, being careful to leave the white pith beneath it behind. Reserve the orange for another use.
• Sprinkle the orange zest and ginger slices with salt and rub them between your fingers to work the salt into them.
• Lay the halved scallion bases and half of the ginger slices and orange zest on the perforated bottom of a bamboo steamer basket to make a "flavor mat" large enough to accommodate all of the shrimp in a single layer.
• Lay half of the basil bunch over the flavor mat, being sure to leave some of the other components of the mat exposed. Lay the shrimp on top of the mat and top with the remaining ginger, orange zest and basil bunch.
• Evenly spread the red pepper strips around the shrimp. Top the pepper strips with the mushrooms.
• Pour the water into the steamer pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the dashi powder and simmer until fully dissolved. Put the steamer basket over the simmering base, cover and steam for about 6 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through. Remove the steamer and set aside while covered to keep warm.
• Add the noodles to the simmering broth just long enough to heat them through. Divide the noodles and broth among 4 warmed bowls. Carefully transfer the red pepper strips and mushroom slices to the bowls. In the center of each bowl, arrange 4 shrimp, overlapping them slightly, over the noodles. Discard the flavor mat.
• Using a sharp knife, thinly slice a julienne of 10 basil leaves. Sprinkle the julienned leaves and the reserved green scallion slices over the broth in each bowl. Nestle a sprig of fresh basil in the center of each bowl and serve.

SESAME SOBA NOODLES WITH CHICKEN THIGHS AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add soba noodles; cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
• Heat vegetable oil and sesame oil together in a 10-inch skillet or wok over medium heat until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Place chicken in skillet and cook until no longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant and softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in mushrooms and carrots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in spinach; cover, and cook until spinach wilts, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add cooked soba noodles to vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Serve hot.

SOBA NOODLES WITH VEGETABLES, CRISPY TOFU, AND TOASTED SESAME SEEDS

Steps:

• In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for noodles.
• Peel and cut pear into matchstick pieces.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over moderately high heat and brown tofu. Transfer tofu with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper.
• Add carrots to skillet and sauté, stirring, until just tender and golden brown. Transfer carrots with slotted spoon to a bowl. Add to skillet remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, mushrooms, scallions, gingerroot, and pear and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender. Remove skillet from heat and stir in carrots.
• Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and immediately rinse with cold water. In a large bowl toss noodles with 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
• Return skillet to moderate heat and add 1/4 cup water, tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon sesame oil. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring, until hot. Add noddles, tossing to combine and adding more water if necessary, and cook until heated through. Season noodles with salt and pepper and serve warm topped with tofu and sesame seeds.