Autumnal Sesame Soba
Ingredients
for the sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek
- 1/2-1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sukang pinakurat spiced coconut tuba vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic grated
for the squash:
- 1 delicata squash sliced into half-moons
- 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, coarsely ground
- olive oil
for the noodles:
- 2 100 g bundles soba noodles
- 1 bunch scallions whites and greens chopped
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1 cup sliced cooked chicken breast
- 1/3 cup shredded red cabbage
garnish:
- sesame seeds optional
- additional sliced scallions optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Arrange the squash in a single layer. Sprinkle with olive oil and peppercorns. Bake 20 minutes or until fork tender. Allow to cool to around room temperature.
- Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water until cool. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
- Place the noodles, scallions, carrot, chicken, and red cabbage in a large bowl drizzle with sauce. Use tongs to toss the mixture until the sauce is evenly distributed. Add the squash and carefully toss again.
- Divide into 2 bowls and serve.
Notes
- The recipe can be easily doubled.
- If you can't find sukang pinakurat (spiced coconut tuba vinegar), try some rice vinegar instead. I used Datu Puti Pinoy Spice (Tuba) Vinegar
- Soba noodles are often sold in 800 g bags with 8 individual, tied bundles of noodles inside. Each bundle is a serving.
- Use a ginger grater to grate the garlic for the best results.
- I use this slightly scary peeler to julienne the carrot
- This is a great use of leftover rotisserie chicken!
I will start this off with the usual disclaimer that I am in no way, shape, or form saying this some traditional, authentic recipes from any cuisine. I will attest that it is very tasty.
We sort of got on a soba noodle kick this year. I had been sort off them for a long time but my husband picked them up on our less than a quarterly trip to H Mart so I’ve been giving them a try again. I like that they are pre-portioned and very quick to make so they’ve come in handy during this pandemic when we need a quick lunch or dinner. Since my husband doesn’t have to pack lunch (working at home) and employment for freelance recipe developers has really dried up, lunches don’t have to be leftovers anymore and I’m free to make whatever. Today I fried up a leftover slice of French bread but one day recently I actually put forth some effort and made this.
I don’t know how the weather is where you are but summer just ended last week and it is still pretty warm and humid. This recipe really bridges that gap between summer and fall foods for me. You’ve got technically-a-summer-squash-but-looks-like-a-winter-squash delicata squash, the red cabbage my local produce delivery keep foisting on me. I think soba and sesame both have pretty hearty, nutty flavors that go well with “fall”.
All those deep caramel flavors from the squash, the crisp cabbage, and sweet carrots all tossed in a sesame dressing? This is my kind of fall food.
If you wanted, you could totally leave the chicken off, it was very filling and satisfying without it. We had roasted a whole chicken the day before so I had plenty of leftovers but honestly, I would have been happy leaving them out if I wasn’t having it as my main meal of the day.
