warm glass noodles with edamame.

We are at t-minus 36 hours until we arrive on the west coast which means we are at my least favorite part of getting ready for vacation which is the "I can't buy anything new at the supermarket and can only make dinner using things I have in the fridge and freezer".  I somehow always end up with bits of things in the fridge  as a result of week long random cooking adventures and somehow this problem always exacerbates itself right before we leave on any trip.  My way of dealing with this issue is to make pasta.  I have yet to find a food that you can't combine with pasta. (Pasta is kind of like eggs.  You can eat any food with eggs, that's why they are so perfect.)  This particular pasta dish is a favorite because of it's Asian influence.  There is something about an Asian sauce and the combination of sweet, tangy, salty, and spicy.  The melding of different flavors excites your taste buds  This noodle and edamame dish is unexpected and light and uses basic pantry items which makes it perfect for those nights when you don't know what to make for dinner.  

Warm Glass Noodles and Edamame
Recipe adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

This is one of those dishes that really should just be used as a starting point.  I added in some leftover diced chicken and avocado to this dish as that's what we had in the fridge, but it would also be wonderful with diced carrots and pepper or leftover steak.  Really you can throw anything in.  (But I highly recomend avocado, it's wonderful here.)  

Serves 4

For the Sauce

2 tablespoons hot sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
Juice of 1 - 2 limes
2 tablespoons pure rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 - 2 teaspoons Sriracha 

For the Pasta

7 ounce glass (cellophane) noodles
2 cups shelled cooked edamame
1 fresh chile, finely chopped
1 cup leftover protein or vegetables (if none replace with an extra 1/2 cup of edamame)
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons shredded fresh mint

Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot water for about 5 minutes, or until soft (don't leave them in the water too long or they will get soggy).  Drain and leave to dry.

To make the sauce, in a small bowl whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.  

In a large bowl, add the noodles, edamame, leftover protein, vegetables, mint, and cilantro.  Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss to combine ensuring all the noddles are sufficiently coated.  Serve garnished with more herbs.          

soba noodles with eggplant and mango.

I live in a 600 square foot apartment with a boy who likes to find things that I may not need and bring them home to me, so we’ll just say space is a premium.  I have a soft spot in my heart for cookbooks but until I get the 1200 square foot apartment of my dreams, I need to be picky about what makes it on to the limited shelf space I have.  I recently purchased, after much deliberation Plenty, which was probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  This is one of those beautiful cookbooks where each page makes you oh so hungry for vegetables.  Yes, vegetables.  This is a vegetarian cookbook and it’s all about making vegetables the center of your meal which is what I’ve done almost every meal this week.  I made the soba noodles with eggplant and mango the other night and it may have been one of the best things I’ve eaten in a while.  It’s spicy and sweet and it leaves you feeling full in the best possible way.  The best part of the dish is the handfuls of herbs you mix in; it makes the dish taste oh so fresh and summery.  Oh and it tastes even better the second day which means you will have a stellar lunch the next day. 

Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango

Recipie from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 6

1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 fresh red Thai chile, finely chopped (or a generous tablespoon of Siracha)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil
2 medium eggplants or 1 large, cut into 3/4-inch dice
8 ounces soba noodles
1 large ripe mango, cut into 3/8-inch dice
1 2/3 cup basil leaves, chopped (if you can get some use Thai basil, but much less of it)
2 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped

In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar and salt for up to 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile (or Siracha) and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.

Heat up the oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave there to drain.

Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender but still al dente. Drain and rise well under running cold water. Shake off as much of the excess water as possible.

In a mixing bowl toss the noodles with the dressing, mango, eggplant, half of the herbs. You can now leave this aside for 1 to 2 hours (but can eat immediately!). When ready to serve add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl.