Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Um, so I am not sure if any of you (Sydneysiders) have noticed lately, but it is November and it is like being stuck in a bamboo steamer. It looks like it is going to be a long, hot, steamy summer and I am not in the mood for hot, heavy meals any more. I want the following adjectives to describe my meals for awhile; fresh, crunchy, cool, tangy, juicy, and maybe a just a little bit spicy.

There is no need for comfort food for now. It is all about eating light, flavoursome foods that make you feel happy that summer is nearly here.
This salad does exactly that. I have had a packet of soba noodles sitting in the pantry for longer than I care to leave soba noodles (they are one of my favourite ingredients: served cold with dipping sauce), but I wanted more, more of those adjectives up there.

As I type this the sky has opened up and provided much needed relief. This is a familiar feeling to me; revelling in the feeling of plunging  myself into water, and then switching to wishing and hoping for a storm, to bucket down and cool everything off. 

But I digress. The dressing on this salad was not something I was used to having with soba noodles, but seriously, do yourself a favour and give it a go, it will make you feel happy, just as I do right now, listening to the rain watering all my plants and cooling everything off. 

Cold Soba Noodle Salad

adapted from this recipe

1 packet soba noodles

1 cooked chicken breast, shredded.

I large red chilli, seeds removed, julienned

1/2 bunch of corriander, stems finely sliced and leaves roughly torn

Good handful of raw snow peas, juilienned

2 shallots finely chopped

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, reserve some for garnish

For the dressing:

zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp mirin

1. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl, whisk together and set aside
2. Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for 4 minutes or until al dente, then drain.
3. Add all the chopped vegetables and chicken to the noodles, toss to combine
4. Then add the dressing, toss to combine.
5. Set the salad aside in the fridge to cool 
6. Garnish the reserved sesame seeds before serving.