Grapefruit-Soba Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Cold noodle salads are a favorite Japanese lunch dish.
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Cold noodle salads are a favorite Japanese lunch dish.
Ingredients
Spicy peanut sauce
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 Tbs. smooth peanut butter
- 1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp. agave nectar
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. chili oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
Soba noodle salad
- 1 small red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
- 5 radishes, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
- 5 green onions, sliced (1/3 cup)
- 6 oz. snow peas
- 8 oz. 100% buckwheat soba noodles, such as Eden Foods
- 2 tsp. canola oil
- 8 oz. seasoned tofu, cut into small cubes
- 3 grapefruit, supremed (see below)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbs. toasted black sesame seeds, optional, for garnish
Preparation
1. To make Spicy Peanut Sauce: Purée vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, agave nectar, sesame oil, chili oil, and garlic in blender or food processor until smooth.
2. To make Soba Noodle Salad: Toss together bell pepper, radishes, and green onions in large bowl. Bring large pot of water to a boil, add snow peas, and cook 2 minutes. Transfer snow peas to bowl of ice water with slotted spoon; drain, and add to vegetables. Return water to a boil.
3. Cook soba noodles in same pot of boiling water according to package directions; drain, and rinse under cold water. Drain again, and set aside.
4. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 1 minute per side, or until lightly browned.
5. Toss tofu, grapefruit supremes, and soba noodles with vegetables. Divide among 6 bowls, drizzle with Spicy Peanut Sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds, if desired.
How to Supreme a Grapefruit
One challenge in cooking with grapefruit is peeling away the thick pith beneath the skin and the bitter membrane that surrounds the pulp. The solution is a culinary technique called supreming. Here’s how to do it:
1. Trim ends all the way to juicy flesh.
2. Stand fruit upright, and remove peel and pith with knife, following curve of fruit from top to bottom. (A small, serrated paring knife works best.)
3. Holding fruit over a bowl, cut sections along membranes as if you were slicing out a wedge, releasing them one by one.
4. Set supremes aside, and squeeze membrane “skeleton” over bowl to release any remaining juice.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 336
- Carbohydrate Content 26 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 10 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 7 g
- Saturated Fat Content 2 g
- Sodium Content 481 mg
- Sugar Content 18 g