by Hui Leng Tay
Turn the rice cooker to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the bacon, green beans, and tomatoes. Fry for about 5 minutes until green beans turn tender and bacon begins to brown, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Dish out in a deep mixing bowl.
Combine cooked pasta with the green bean mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and cilantro leaves and season with salt and black pepper.
Pour the dressing over the pasta. Top with tuna flakes and serve.
Cooking Tip
You can cut down on the amount of fat in this recipe by omitting the olive oil in the dressing.
CHAPTER 8
Oodling Noodles
Chilled Soba in Green Onion Dressing
Warm Soba and Japanese Mushrooms in Ginger Dressing
Soba in Tahini Sauce
Summer Soba with Spinach and Mushrooms
Kimchi Soba Soup
Smoked Salmon with Soba
Udon in Mildly Spiced Cauliflower
Stir-Fry Black Pepper Chicken Udon
Ground Beef and Mushrooms Yakiudon
Tom Yum Glass Noodles
Stir-Fry Glass Noodles with Mushrooms and Celery
Garlic-Infused Glass Noodles with Tiger Shrimp
Black Vinegar Ground Meat Noodles
Spicy Bean Noodles
Noodles in Creamy Egg Gravy
Stir-Fry White Pepper Noodles
Nyonya-Style Noodles
Chicken Mushroom Noodles
Rice Noodles with Beef
Chilled Soba in Green Onion Dressing
Have this dish warm or cold according to your preference. Chilled soba is definitely recommended during summer.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon shoyu
½ teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ cup finely chopped green onions
6 cups water
½ pound dried soba noodles
8 to 10 cups water with ice, for coldwater bath
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (Cooking Tip)
In a bowl, combine the water, shoyu, mirin, and sesame oil. Ladle the dressing into serving bowls. Then portion the green onions into the serving bowls.
Add the 6 cups water to the rice cooker, cover the cooker, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add noodles and stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for 5 minutes or more until cooked.
Drain the noodles and plunge them into the cold-water bath for 3 to 5 minutes.
Place the noodles in the serving bowls containing the dressing, and toss to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Do You Know?
Buckwheat flour is commonly dark, due to the husks left in the flour during milling. Buckwheat, which is often used in Japan to make traditional buckwheat soba noodles, is often considered an excellent health food because it is loaded with B vitamins.
Warm Soba and Japanese Mushrooms in Ginger Dressing
Be sure to use sufficient unsalted boiling water for cooking dried soba noodles. If cooked in too little water, the noodles will become starchy and sticky. Also, take note that over cooking soba noodles will render them mushy.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 AS A MAIN DISH
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon shoyu
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons water
6 cups water
1 (3½-ounce) pack Japanese beech mushrooms
½ pound dried soba noodles
In a bowl, combine grated ginger, green onions, shoyu, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons water. Ladle half the dressing into serving bowls. Set the remaining half aside to “dress” the mushrooms.
Add 6 cups water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the mushrooms and blanch for 15 to 20 seconds until the mushrooms turn tender. Dish out mushrooms and place in the mixing bowl with the remaining dressing. Toss well to coat the mushrooms.
Cover the rice cooker again and return the water to a boil. When boiling, lift up the rice cooker lid and add the noodles, stirring gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for 5 minutes or more until al dente or cooked.
Drain the noodles and divide among the serving bowls containing the dressing. Toss to combine. Top the noodles with the mushrooms and serve warm.
Soba in Tahini Sauce
Tahini is simply sesame seed butter, stone-ground from sesame seeds.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH
6 cups water
½ pound dried soba noodles, break dried noodles in half
8 to 10 cups water with ice, for coldwater bath
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger root, with juice
1 tablespoon warm water
1 cup finely shredded carrot, drained of excess moisture
1 cup finely shredded cucumber, drained of excess moisture
Add the water to rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, lift up the rice cooker lid, add the noodles, and stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for 3 minutes or more until al dente.
Drain the noodles and plunge them into the cold-water bath for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside in serving bowls.
In a separate mixing bowl, make tahini sauce by combining tahini, sesame oil, ginger, and warm water.
Add the tahini sauce, carrots, and cucumber to the noodles. Toss gently and serve.
Cooking Tip
A cold-water bath removes the starch in the noodles, which is especially helpful when the noodles are served chilled.
Summer Soba with Spinach and Mushrooms
Try this recipe with cha soba, a popular summer soba variety. These are soba noodles with a light-green tinge. Green tea powder is added to the buckwheat flour mix to make these tea-flavored noodles.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2
2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons shoyu
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
6 cups water
3 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach
1 cup thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps
½ pound dried soba noodles
8 to 10 cups water with ice, for coldwater bath
In a mixing bowl, combine the warm water, shoyu, mirin, ginger, and sesame oil. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Add 6 cups water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the spinach and blanch for 10 seconds. Dish out and set aside to cool.
Place mushrooms in the water and blanch for 15 to 20 seconds until the mushrooms turn tender. Dish out and set aside to cool.
Cover the rice cooker again and return the water to a boil. When boiling, lift up the rice cooker lid and add the noodles, stirring gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for 5 minutes or more until al dente.
Drain the noodles and plunge them into the cold-water bath for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside in serving bowls.
Top the noodles with the spinach and mushrooms. Serve with the chilled dressing on the side as a dipping sauce.
Kimchi Soba Soup
Add raw shrimp or beef slices to enhance the flavor of this soup. Add either of these ingredients during Step 2 when the water boils.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4 AS A SIDE DISH
6 cups water
½ pound dried soba noodles
4 to 5 cups water
½ block soft tofu (about 5 ounces), cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup finely shredded kimchi
1 sheet of nori (Japanese seaweed), shredded
Add the water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to C
ook. When the water boils, add noodles and stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for 5 minutes or more until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside in serving bowls.
Clean out the rice cooker and wipe dry. Add 6 cups water to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the tofu, switch the rice cooker to Warm, and allow it to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in kimchi and simmer for another 3 minutes. Ladle over noodles and serve. Garnish with nori.
Do You Know?
Similar to kelp, nori is considered a sea vegetable. Sea vegetables contain a wide range of minerals such as iodine, vitamin K, folate, iron, and calcium.
Smoked Salmon with Soba
Soba can be made fresh with buckwheat flour, water, and a binder. Specialty Japanese stores may sell soba noodles fresh. However, the dried ones have a longer shelf life and can be easily found in major supermarkets. Buy fresh soba only if using it within two to three days of purchase.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
6 cups water
½ pound dried soba noodles
8 to 10 cups water and ice, for coldwater bath
2 cups water
2 tablespoons shoyu
3 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons bonito flakes
1 teaspoon grated ginger
¼ pound smoked salmon slices
1 sheet nori (Japanese seaweed), shredded as garnish
Add 6 cups water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add noodles and stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for 5 minutes or more until al dente. Drain the noodles and plunge them into the cold-water bath for 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
Clean out rice cooker and wipe dry. Cover and set to Cook. Add 2 cups water, shoyu, mirin, sugar, and salt. Cover the rice cooker and allow mixture to come to a simmer.
Add bonito flakes and ginger and stir well. Switch off rice cooker and let stand for 5 minutes.
Strain mixture into serving bowls and portion the noodles into the bowls. Top with smoked salmon slices and garnish with nori before serving.
Udon in Mildly Spiced Cauliflower
Udon is a white, thick noodle made from wheat flour. Packaged fresh udon is usually found in the refrigerated foods section in supermarkets, alongside other fresh noodles.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
5 cups water
1 pound cauliflower florets
2 (7-ounce) packs fresh udon
1 tablespoon butter, divided use
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
Add the water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the cauliflower florets and blanch for 30 seconds. Dish out and set aside to cool. Leave the remaining water in the cooker.
Cover the rice cooker and return the water to a boil. When boiling, add noodles to blanch. Stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Allow noodles to cook for about 2 minutes, until noodles are separated. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Clean out the rice cooker and wipe dry. Add ½ tablespoon butter to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the rice cooker gets warm, add the shallots and fry until shallots turn fairly soft.
Add garlic, ginger, cumin, and mustard seeds and fry for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in cauliflower, curry powder, turmeric, and 1 cup water. Cover rice cooker and cook until the mixture returns to a boil.
Lift up the rice cooker lid and add the remaining ½ tablespoon butter, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Stir well and allow mixture to simmer at Warm, with the rice cooker covered, for about 10 minutes.
About 1 minute before serving, add the cilantro and mix well. Combine the noodles and cauliflower mixture in a deep bowl and toss gently before serving.
Cooking Tip
If cooking dried udon, refer to the manufacturer's package for instructions. Typically, dried udon is boiled for 10 to 12 minutes. The Japanese refer to the al dente quality of noodles as koshi, meaning “substance.” Noodles with “substance” should be tender with no hard core, and the noodle surface should be slippery yet not overly soft.
Stir-Fry Black Pepper Chicken Udon
Udon noodles have a thicker and firmer texture than soba noodles and are better for stir-fries.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
½ teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water, divided use
5 cups water, to blanch and separate the noodles
2 (7-ounce) packs fresh udon
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-sized onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 chicken breast or thigh, sliced into thin strips
3 cups tightly packed shredded round or napa cabbage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In a bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, and 1 cup water. Stir well and set aside as gravy mixture.
Add 4 to 5 cups water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the noodles to blanch. Stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Blanch noodles for about 1 minute until noodles are separated. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Clean out the rice cooker and wipe dry. Add the oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the rice cooker gets warm, add the onions and fry about 5 minutes until slightly soft.
Add garlic and ginger and fry about 5 minutes until fragrant, covering the rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Add chicken and cabbage and fry for 3 to 5 minutes until chicken partially cooks through (turns brown at the surface), covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Dish out and set aside, leaving the remaining oil in the rice cooker.
Add the prepared gravy mixture to the pot, cover rice cooker, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until mixture bubbles.
Return the cabbage and chicken mixture to the gravy, stir in remaining 1 cup water, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until chicken cooks through, switching to Warm if gravy mixture bubbles too vigorously.
When sauce reduces and thickens, add the udon noodles and toss well with the gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you haven't already, switch the rice cooker to Warm and allow noodles to simmer until they absorb most of the gravy. Serve warm.
Ground Beef and Mushrooms Yakiudon
Yakiudon is stir-fried udon in soy-based sauce. This recipe uses ground beef and mushrooms as the main ingredients, inspired by Japanese teppanyaki. Substitute ground turkey or other ground meat for the ground beef as preferred, and try a variety of mushrooms to add depth to the stir-fry.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 OR 3
5 cups water
2 (7-ounce) packs fresh udon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly shredded
½ pound ground beef
1 (3½-ounce) pack Japanese beech mushrooms
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
½ cup water
2 green onions, sliced into finger-length pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Add the water to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the water boils, add the noodles to blanch. Stir gently to prevent sticking to the base of the pot. Blanch for about 1 minut
e until noodles are separated. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Clean out the rice cooker and wipe dry. Add oil to the rice cooker, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the rice cooker gets warm, add the ginger, beef, mushrooms, and soy sauce and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes till beef partially cooks through (turns from red to brownish), covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Add ½ cup water, cover the rice cooker, and continue to cook for about 8 minutes. When the mixture starts to simmer and beef cooks through, add the green onions and udon noodles and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Switch the rice cooker to Warm and allow noodles to simmer until they absorb the sauce mixture. Serve warm.
Do You Know?
While yakiudon is stir-fry made with udon, yakisoba is not stir-fry made with soba. Yakisoba actually uses ramen noodles in the stir-fry.
Tom Yum Glass Noodles
Glass noodles are also known by many other names such as cellophane noodles, bean thread noodles, and mung bean vermicelli. Glass noodles are so-called because of their translucent appearance when cooked.
