Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Soba noodles with orange peanut dressing
Noodles is something I always have in my pantry....be it the instant Maggi noodles, hakka noodles, egg noodles, rice noodles, or soba noodles. Noodles make for a quick and satisfying one pot meal, especially on days when I am really bored of the daal chawal routine or when I have to cook just for myself.
Soba noodles, widely used in Japanese cuisine, are made from buckwheat. Buckwheat (not related to wheat) is not a cereal grain....it is actually a fruit seed (!!) and therefore very suitable as a grain substitute for those with gluten related allergies. It is a good source of complex carbohydrates and is the best source of protein from a plant source (yes, even better than soy beans). Moreover, consumption of buckwheat is said to be good for the cardiovascular system, diabetes and cholesterol control etc.
This time, I made the soba noodles with a orange peanut dressing inspired by a recipe I found here - I've made just a few itsy bitsy changes to Nandita's recipe.The citrusy flavour of orange blends very nicely with the nutty flavour of peanuts and sesame seeds! The addition of bell pepper and raw carrots adds a lovely crunch to the soft texture of the noodles.
Ingredients:
Soba noodles 200 gms
for the dressing:
Orange juice - 100 ml (this is on the higher side -the way we like it, adjust as per your taste)
Peanut butter - 3 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds, lightly toasted, - 1 tsp
Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, vinegar - about 1.5 tsp each
orange zest - 1.5 tsp
Salt, chilli flakes - to taste
Ginger, juliennned, 2 " piece
bell pepper - 1
carrot - 1/2
sprouts - 2 tbsp
spring onion - for garnish
grilled teriyaki chicken - optional, 100 gms
Method :
Cook the soba noodles as per instructions. These noodles are sticky, so you will need to occasionally stir these with a fork. I also add a tsp of oil while cooking. Drain the noodles and let them cool.
Cut the vegetables into juliennes. I personally like the crunch of the raw veggies with the soft soba noodles, else use any veggies of your choice and steam them.
Marinate the chicken in teriyaki sauce, ginger garlic paste, salt and some soy sauce. Grill and de-bone it.
Make the dressing by combining all the remaining ingredients - taste to adjust the balance of flavours as per your taste. Add in salt in the end - teriyaki and soy sauces have plenty of it!
Toss the noodles in the dressing, veggies and chicken (if using). Chill for about an hour or longer (these noodles are best served cold), garnish with spring onion and chomp away!
This is my entry to my very own Let's go nuts : Peanuts.
Hope you guys are going nuts with peanuts too.
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Wow,that looks wonderful friend..and can imagine the flavour with peanut and orange..truly awesome !!
ReplyDeletelooks yummy with peanut and orange
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and delicious.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine howw refreshing that bolw of oup would have tasted.
Yummy.
Looks nice..that's nice one .....bowl looks so gud..man where you do u stay in btw...perhaps I can come and collect it personally ;)
ReplyDeleteI love noodles too, your dish looks really tasty!
ReplyDeletethe dressing looks different i might try with other noodles as i don't have soba noodles in my pantry at the moment..
ReplyDeleteZesty noodles with peanuts making me hungry:)
ReplyDeleteI love soba noodles and this reminds me i havent used them in a while!
ReplyDeleten I thot noodles are neva beneficial for health..:)..lovely dressing too..:)
ReplyDeletehey guys, thanks so much for dropping in!
ReplyDeleteAnn, shama...actually, I was quite skeptical about the orange peanut combo...but it blends nicely with the sauces!
Preety, I guess you can use this dressing with any kind of noodles.
Priti, come over anytime...will mail you soon for the address!
Varsha, even I was under the impression that noodles are not too good...some seem to be!
Nags, happens to me all the time...there are so many things that I see on blogs and I go..."haven't made this in a long time"
I love soba/buckwheat noodles. I made a post earlier last year and also love to have them with some tofu. Great!
ReplyDeleteorange and pea nuts combo is new and must sounds yum dear.
ReplyDeletethanks for droppign by and we will be in regular touch.
I've heard so much about soba noodles that I want to try them out....but I don't think we get them here :-((
ReplyDeleteThat looks delicious! Soba noodles is new to me.. have to find out if i can get it here.
ReplyDeleteVery informative post, I did not know about buckwheat/soba noodles....the orange and peanut dressing sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteVery good info Aqua. I like the use of orange here. I like the flavor of orange in about anything!
ReplyDeleteSo interesting! I have nver tried Soba noodles. Can you believe that? And we are ardent foodies at that. Will surely pick it up and try soon!
ReplyDeleteLooks yum. Didn't know about buckwheat. one of my friends said buckwheat is nothing but broken wheat and i completely believed it. hehe..i'm gonna look for soba noodles now.
ReplyDeletethose Soba noodles look awesome...n i like the wooden tray :)
ReplyDeleteAnudivya, I checked out your recipe. Glad to have another way of making these noodles.
ReplyDeleteHema, thanks for visiting :) and yes, you will keep seeing a lot of me at yours.
Jaishree and Anu, thanks for visting. My guess is any kind of noodles so do for this dressing!
Usha and Soma, actually, even I didn't know so many things about soba noodles when I made them. Blogging is what has led me to find out more about what I cook.
A and N, even I have a long list of things I haven't yet tried!
Vibaas, even I thought that buckwheat was some variant of wheat for a long long time.
Navita, thanks for dropping in..psst, you can take the tray!
I've been wanting to give soba noodles a try ... yours looks so pretty and delicious.
ReplyDeleteBuckwheat noodles in something new to me. I also keep noodles always in my pantry. Let me check out in India for this. Great recipe. Thanks for dropping by and we will keep in touch.
ReplyDeletethats a nice twist to the regular noodles.. they look tempting..
ReplyDeleteWhat a great entry! Soba's a standard at our home because there's always a packet (or three!) lurking in the pantry. I must say, I don't do my noodles as much justice as you have. Love the orange in your dressing. Making a mental note now :)
ReplyDelete