Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Otsu

This is one of those recipes that the cookbook falls open to, that I've made so many times I've stopped measuring everything and just go by feel, and that I probably don't go a week with out making.  
The flavor is spicy, salty, sweet, and sour all at the same time thanks to the cayenne pepper, soy sauce, honey, and vinegar in the dressing.  I added julienned carrots to the original recipe because I love the color and crunch they add.

(adapted from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson)
Dressing:
grated zest of 1 lemon
1-inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoons cayenne
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp sesame oil

Noodles:
12 oz dried soba noodles
12 oz extra firm nigari tofu
1/4 cup choped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

To make dressing: 
Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

To make the noodles:
Cook the soba in rapidly boiling salted water according to package directions.
Drain and rinse with cold water
While pasta is cooking, cut the tofu into 1/2" by 1" rectangles that are about 1/2" thick.
Cook in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides, tossing gently once or twice.
In a large bowl, combine the noodles, cilantro, green onions, cucumber, carrot, and about 2/3 cup dressing and toss until well combined.  
Add the tofu and toss again gently.  
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.

5 comments:

What's Cookin Chicago said...

This looks awesome... and reminds me of what I had for dinner last week at a restaurant. Thanks for posting this... I'll have to give this a try!

Anonymous said...

That looks so good! So fresh and delicious!!

Michael Melton said...

This is my favorite...its even better after it has sat in the fridge over night.

Steph said...

I love soba noodles! I'm usually really lazy when it comes to cookiing so I just eat it cold with some soya sauce for noodles and small drizzle of sesame oil. It looks a lot more delicious with all your vegetables!

That Girl said...

That's like me and ma po tofu - I make it so often I don't even need the recipe anymore.