I love Asian food, but I don’t cook it all that often. It’s not that it’s difficult to make, I just don’t seem to make anything Asian, other than steamed rice, which oddly enough I love to eat plain. I know, I’m weird like that. But I do love Asian flavors, and this dish introduces a lot of unique flavors. Soba noodles may be new to many of you, but it’s always good to try new things! Soba noodles are made of buckwheat, and have an almost nutty flavor like whole wheat pasta. Sriracha is a spicy condiment, which I usually call rooster sauce due to the rooster on its label. It can be added to soups, eggs, or anything you want to add a spicy twist to. The vegetables in this dish can be changed out to fit your tastes, but the carrots and cucumber add a nice crunchy contrast to the noodles and chicken.Soba with Chicken and Vegetables
½ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1 (12-ounce) package soba (buckwheat noodles)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 pound boneless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into julienne strips (about 1 cup)
1 large carrot, peeled, cut into julienne strips
1 large cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into julienne strips
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, and Sriracha.
Meanwhile, prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat canola oil. Add garlic and ginger to the pan, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes, or until cooked through, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture, zucchini, and carrot to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cucumber and noodles; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, tossing well. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Source: Slightly adapted from Cooking Light