Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Prawns & Straw Mushrooms

This is a tasty cold dish, fabulous for those hot days when you require something more than a “salad” but with hardly any cooking or effort involved. I like to cook the noodles and prawns first thing in the morning (before the weather gets too hot), after that I throw it into the fridge and forget about it until dinner time. All that is needed then is some tossing with the dressing and voila-dinner is served.



Ingredients
180g soba (buckwheat noodles)
100g prawns, cleaned with the tails attached
100g straw mushrooms (I used canned)
2 leaves Chinese cabbage, center stalk only, very finely sliced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Fresh coriander
2 tsp chilli oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
20ml rice wine vinegar
20ml light soy sauce, plus extra
40ml extra virgin olive oil. plus extra
Fresh black pepper

Method
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the prawns to the boiling water and poach until they turn pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the noodles to the pot and cook for 3 minutes or until tender.
Drain immediately and refresh under cold water. Allow the water to drain away and toss with a touch of oil, to prevent the noodles from clumping together.
Chill the noodles and prawns in the fridge.
In a small bowl, combine the chilli oil, ginger, wine vinegar, soy sauce and olive oil. Add the whole garlic clove to dressing and allow it to infuse. Remove and discard the garlic before eating.
When you are ready to eat, toss the cold noodles and prawns with the dressing, straw mushrooms, cabbage stalks, spring onion and lots of coriander leaves. Taste and add more soy or vinegar, as you prefer.
Serve immediately on individual plates. Serves 2.

Chilled Green Tea Noodles with Asian Herbs & Salmon Roe

The Japanese have a tradition of serving chilled noodles in the summer. The first time I came across this was about 7 years ago, when I worked at Nudel Bar on Bourke St in Melbourne. Nudel Bars specialty is (surprise surprise) noodles! They serve noodles from all over the world, and their menu is sure to please the fussiest of eaters and those who are just after a cheap and cheerful bite. One of the more popular dishes is Cold Green Tea noodles with a Lemon and Soy Dressing, created by chef John Mckay- a wonderful and refreshing combination served with avocado or with smoked salmon.
Yesterday was a hot day and as summery as it gets here in Melbourne. My feisty nature does not appreciate the heat, but I did enjoy this curious noodle dish. Not exactly how it is done at Nudle Bar, but I think my interpretation was pleasant and refreshing. And that is how summer food should be.

Ingredients
200g Japanese green tea noodles (cha soba)
1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
2 tsp of light soy
A touch of wasabi paste
Zest of 1 lemon, finely julienned
Juice of half a lemon or to taste
Fresh black pepper
Lots of Asian herbs (Thai basil, Vietnamese mint and coriander)
Salmon roe (I use Russian)
Pickled ginger

Method
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook until they are done. Al dente is not the idea here. Asian noodles are cooked to a more soft stage, than Italian pasta. Rinse them immediately in cold water to arrest the cooking and remove all the surface starch. Allow them to drain for a few minutes and then toss with a bit of oil, so the noodles do not clump together as they chill, covered in the fridge.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, soy and wasabi.
Toss the noodles with this dressing, followed by the lemon zest, lemon juice to taste and as many herbs as you desire.
Serve on individual plates immediately, topped with salmon roe and with a small bowl of pickled ginger on the side. Serves 3.
Note-Japanese noodles are available from Asian food stores. I have also seen them in supermarkets