I Cook Coz Cocaine Is Illegal

I still remember my expression when I first discovered ‘Cold Soba Noodles’ on the menu of my favourite Japanese restaurant, Yuki (Willeton, Perth). I was kinda squirmish at the thought of eating cold noodles – cold slippery long worms sliding down my throat….eckkkk!!!

But, as I always say, try everything once…..

The cold soba noodles were absolutely delicious, and the dippng sauce is what brings the buckwheat noodles alive. In Japan, its a popular summer dish.  I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried it out! Live a little and Try It At Home!! 

Miso chicken Recipe

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2cm Ginger, grated
6 large Shitake Mushrooms, soaked in hot water and sliced thinly
Spring Onions, cut into 1cm length
200-300grams Snowpeas, tips cut
2 Tbspn White Miso Paste, mixed into 2Tbspn of hot water to loosen into a thin paste
White Pepper
3 Tbspn Sesame Oil
1 Tbspn Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Olive Oil

Method

1. Marinate Chicken cubes in 2 Tbspn Sesame oil, Light Soy Sauce, White pepper & Salt for minimum of 30mins or overnight in fridge (if preparing ahead). Remove from fridge 30mins before cooking.
2. Heat pan to medium heat and add olive oil.
3. Once oil is heated add garlic & ginger till slightly golden then, add marinated chicken.
4. Once the chicken is browned add miso paste.
5. Add snow peas and shitake mushrooms and stir fry for 2mins
6. Add sugar if using and Spring Onions and stir fry further minute. IF sauce is too thick/dry add a dash of water to loosen sauce it up.
7. Taste and correct seasoning if Salt of Pepper required.
8. Transfer Miso Chicken to serving platter and drizzle remaining sesame oil over chicken.
9. Serve hot with Cold Soba.

Zaru Soba & Mentsuyu Dipping Sauce

Zaru Soba
1 packet of Soba (serves 3)
Pot of boiling water, slightly salted
Ice Cubes
Cold Water (from fridge)

Mentsuyu Dipping Sauce
1/2 Cup Per portion Soba Sauce (premade; from oriental shops)
2-3 Tbspn water
1-1.5Cup Spring Onions, Sliced finely
Roasted Sesame Seeds
Wasabi (optional, the amount is up to you)

Optional In Dipping Sauce
1 Garlic Clove, minced into paste (use 1/4 teaspoon per serve)
or
1cm Ginger, minced into paste (use 1/4 teaspoon per serve)

Method

1. Prepare Dipping sauce in individual serving bowls.
2. Bring slightly salted water in pot
3. Put Soba noodles in and cook for 8mins.
4. Prepare a ice bath in a bowl bigger than your colander and pour the hot water through the colander then pour the noodles in the colander in the prepared ice bath. Leave noodles in the ice bath for a couple of minutes then drain through colander.
5. Dish noodles out and serve with dipping sauce and Miso Chicken.