Soba Noodles, Crispy Kale, Ginger & Sesame Sauce

I’m a great fan of rice noodles but here’s a delicious alternative with soba noodles. Soba noodles are now easy to find; before you had to go to Japonese stores to shop them. Nevertheless, pay attention to buy buckwheat soba noodles (‘soba’ actually means ‘buckwheat’ in Japonese), not the wheat-modified ones. Those gluten-free Japonese noodles are really nourishing and are usually eaten in a warm miso broth with sauteed vegetables or cold in a salad. They are unsalted, the sauce you’ll serve this dish with will bring some salt to your taste buds. Buckwheat is loaded with magnesium and copper.

Ingredients:

  • 200g buckwheat noodles
  • 3 large kale leaves
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 handful coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1 pinch Guérande salt

For the sauce:

  • 1 tbsp cumin powder
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp rice miso paste
  • 1 tbsp sesame paste (tahini)
  • 2 tbsp tamari
  • 1 knob ginger, grated (the size of a thumb)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water

Recipe:

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F
  2. Clean and dry the kale leaves. Cut them into medium size bits leaving the central stem
  3. Place the leaves on an oven dish covered with baking paper
  4. Brush the leaves with some olive oil
  5. Place them in the oven and let them roast till they are golden and crispy. Add a little salt when they are ready
  6. Prepare the sauce, mixing all the ingredients
  7. Cook the noodles following the instructions on the package, drain them and place them in small bowls
  8. Pour the sauce on the noodles, top with sesame seeds, the crispy kale and the chopped cilantro
  9. Serve warm or tepid

Enjoy!