CHILLED SOBA NOODLES WITH GREEN BEANS

These chilled soba noodles tossed with the sesame dressing are a wonderful combination. The farm crew at Torello Farm are harvesting lovely green beans, which I have used for the recipe, but you could quite easily substitute them with their gorgeous snow peas, finely sliced, instead.

serves 4

400g green beans, stem end trimmed

2 spring onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal, or 2 tablespoons chopped chives

250g dried soba (buckwheat) noodles

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (extra)

1 tablespoon pickled ginger (optional)

Dressing:

¼ cup sesame seeds

60ml (¼ cup) soy sauce 

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Have ready a bowl of icy cold water. Cook beans in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge beans into the cold water to stop the cooking process.  When cool, drain and toss gently in a clean tea towel to dry excess water.

To make the dressing, using a mortar and pestle or small food processor, add the sesame seeds and grind or blend until coarsely crushed. Add the sugar, vinegar and soy and stir to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the ginger, if using.

Bring a large saucepan two thirds full of lightly salted water to the boil.  Add the noodles to the water, gradually, to separate them so that they don’t stick together.  Bring back to the boil, then add 250ml of cold water and allow the water to return to the boil.  Then add another 250ml of cold water and allow the water to return to the boil again or until the noodle are al dente and just cooked through.  Remove from the heat and drain the noodles.   Rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch. Drain well.   

Place noodles and beans in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing, sprinkle over the spring onions or chives and the ginger. Gently toss to combine and coat in dressing. Divide the noodles and beans between four bowls. Sprinkle over the extra sesame seeds.  

Recipe by Fiona Hammond, April 2021