Soba Noodle Salad

Soba Noodle Salad

soba noodles, cooked according to package instructions, tossed in a little vegetable oil

Edamame beans, steamed

radishes, shaved thin on a Japanese mandolin, or sliced thin with a sharp knife

cucumber, cut into chunks

avocado, peeled and cut into chunks

soy sesame vinaigrette (recipe below)

furikake, optional for the topping

toasted sesame seed, for the topping

curried tofu (recipe below)

Combine the cooked soba noodles, edamame, radishes, cucumber and avocado in a bowl. Toss with as much soy sesame vinaigrette as desired. Transfer to a serving dish and top with furikake and toasted sesame seeds if desired. serve with curried tofu before serving.

Soy Sesame Vinaigrette:

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated on a microplane

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons blended oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Whisk together all ingredients.

For the curried tofu:

1 package silken tofu, drained, wrapped in paper towels, very lightly pressed overnight, change the paper towel a couple of times as it will get soaked (see note)

curry powder, to taste

kosher salt, to taste

olive oil

Unwrap the tofu and dice into smallish chunks. Dust with curry powder and season with salt. Heat a little oil and sauté the tofu pieces until golden brown and warmed through.

Note: When pressing the silken tofu be very careful as too much weight will split the tofu. We pressed ours with a pint of cream but wrapping the tofu in 2-3 paper towels, transferring to a plate and lightly resting a pint of cream on top. Let rest overnight in the refrigerator.