RECIPE: Cold Soba Noodles with Green Veggies and Ginger Dressing 

Simple, balanced, vegan, and delicious! This soba stir-fry has tofu and veggies to keep you full throughout the day, plus an addictive soy-ginger sauce to please your taste buds. Endlessly versatile, it can be enjoyed warm or cold and makes for a wonderful meal prep option! 

The use of seasonal produce is highly valued in Japan, and many dishes seek to highlight the quality of a particular vegetable. This recipe embraces that attitude, with the fresh vegetables being the main star. 

Here are some tips on how to achieve the perfect stir-fried veggies:

1. Use a large wok or pan on high heat. If there is not enough surface area or heat for steam to evaporate, the vegetables will absorb water and become soggy. 
2. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables. You want the vegetables to retain their crispness and vibrancy. If you overdo it, they will become limp and lose their color.

Though this stir-fry calls for green bean, broccoli, and asparagus, feel free to swap in whatever you have on hand. Sugar snap peas, edamame, or bell pepper would be excellent additions. You can even wash and chop your veggies in advance so that you can get right to cooking when it’s time to eat. 

Consisting of fresh produce, protein-packed tofu, fiber-rich soba, and a fragrant soy-ginger sauce, this dish is both nutritious and tasty. Enjoy it as a quick weeknight dinner, a wholesome work lunch, or a healthy substitute for takeout!

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 200g extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• 100g green beans
• 100g broccoli
• 100g asparagus
• ½ tbsp salt
• ¼ tbsp black pepper
• 200g soba noodles (we recommend using 100% soba noodles or matcha soba noodles)
• Oil for frying

For the Ginger Dressing

• 3 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce*
• ½ tbsp rice vinegar*
• 2 tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
• ½ tbsp garlic powder

Instructions 

1. Wrap the tofu in paper towel and let it rest for about 15 mins to remove excess water. Cut into bite-size cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the cubes of tofu and stir fry for 4-5 mins, but before they turn golden brown.
3. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok on high heat and add the crushed garlic. Fry for 1 mins while making sure it doesn’t burn.
5. Reduce the heat and add the green beans, broccoli and asparagus. Cook until the vegetables are tender and slightly golden brown. Add the salt and black pepper, cook for 1 more minute, turn off the heat and set aside.
6. Cook the soba noodles as per the directions on the package. Drain and rinse under cold water.
7. Serve the noodles in a bowl mixed with the tofu, cooked vegetables and dressing. 

*Available in our Creative Beginnings: Redefining “Wa” Care Package

Recipe intro provided by Britney Budiman

Britney Budiman (@booritney) is a writer, minimalist, aspiring effective altruist, and runner-in-progress with a penchant for saying “yes.” Previously, she has worked in Cambodia at a traditional arts NGO, in Brazil as a social sciences researcher, and in San Francisco at a housing start-up. She currently lives in the countryside of Kagoshima, Japan, where she teaches English. Her favorite thing in the world is good conversation.