Soba Noodle Salad

One of my favorite summer salads to keep in the fridge for lunch is Soba Noodle Salad. I found the recipe years ago in a Cooking Light magazine and have adapted it a bit to suit my taste. So easy to make, I can whip this salad up before my morning run or while waiting for dinner items to simmer and bake, as I did last night. Here's the recipe:

8 oz uncooked soba (buckwheat noodles)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Break noodles in half. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add noodles and cook 4 minutes. Add shredded carrot to the pot with the noodles and cook 2 minutes longer. Drain noodles & carrots.

Combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, garlic sauce, salt and sugar in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add noodles, carrots, scallions and cilantro. Toss to coat. Cover & chill. I prefer it very cold and allow it to chill at least 8 hours before enjoying.

I typically sprinkle a bit more soy sauce over the noodles just before serving. Top with grilled shrimp (marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil) and serve with a side of grilled corn-on-the-cob for a light dinner on a hot summer night.

Bon Appetite!