“Every salad rotation needs a solid cold-noodle dish,” says Radhi Devlukia-Shetty. “A big bowl of chilled buckwheat noodles tossed with raw veggies, toasted nuts and coriander, then draped in a creamy, spicy Southeast Asian–inspired dressing is so fresh and satisfying.
“It’s the perfect salad for making in the evening and packing up for lunch the next day.”
Chilled soba noodle salad with creamy sambal dressing
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
Total time: 35 minutes
100g soba noodles
1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
1/2 small head red cabbage, finely shredded
60ml creamy sambal dressing (recipe follows)
2tbsps crushed peanuts or almonds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant
2tbsps finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1tsp black sesame seeds
For the creamy sambal dressing:
(Makes about 240ml)
Total time: 10 minutes
110g unsweetened almond butter
60ml soy sauce
60ml fresh lime juice (2–3 limes)
1tbsp toasted sesame oil
1tbsp agave nectar
1tbsp sambal oelek
Method:
1. Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the red pepper, carrot and cabbage.
3. To make the dressing; in a blender, combine the almond butter, 60ml water, the soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, agave and sambal and blend until smooth. Store (any unused dressing) in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss again to coat. Serve sprinkled with the peanuts, coriander and sesame seeds.
Note: You could sauté the vegetables and make this a warm noodle dish instead.
JoyFull: Cook Effortlessly, Eat Freely, Live Radiantly by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty (Thorsons, hardback, £22) is available now.