Soba Noodles with Enoki

Japanese food is all about simplicity and we love that concept here at vegan.io. We have a dish made with just a few ingredients that are overloaded with flavour, Soba Noodles with Enoki mushrooms. It's the perfect quick-lunch recipe for those rushed hectic days. 

I decided to dive into Japanese cuisine a little bit more and get inspiration from their love for simplicity and fresh ingredients. We love that with few ingredients they create magic! And it's always a priority to eat fresh food in its natural state, just lightly cooked.

Also, I don't know if you have ever noticed that in Japanese culture the sauces are usually served on the side. They are an accent to the flavour of what is being served. 

I  tried to put all these concepts together in one recipe so I could create a Japanese vegan delight. We can have it all ready in less than 20 minutes, which makes it perfect for a mid-week lunch option. Or if you happen to forget all about dinner, this recipe is a lifesaver. No one will ever know you dropped the ball. 

We have three different parts to this recipe, the soba noodles, the enoki, and the sauce. Each part will take you 5 minutes to make. Sometimes, I even make the sauce ahead of time and I save a bit of time there. It is super yummy, so I keep a batch stashed in the fridge for a couple of days. and use it on a bunch of different things for an extra touch of flavour.

The sauce is super easy to make and you can find all the ingredients at your supermarket. I get some things like the seaweed and the wasabi at my local Asian market. But only because I like the novelty of going in there and looking at all the different products. But, the Asian aisle will do the trick just fine. 

I used soba noodles because I really like the taste and texture of buckwheat. These are really popular in Japan and they are used for a bunch of different recipes. I like to always have a pack or two stashed in my pantry since I can whip a quick stir fry and throw in some soba noodles to make it much more fun, interesting, and delicious. 

I cook soba noodles for about two minutes, but all brands are slightly different so make sure you follow the instructions in the package. Believe me, you want to end up with neither raw nor overcooked noodles. Yuck!

Now, for the fun part, enoki mushrooms. I love cooking with this type of mushrooms, they are fun, delicious, and super healthy. If you're not sure what they look like, well they are a cluster of long, thin white stems with white tiny buttons. 

Since we want to keep things simple, we are just going to frying the mushrooms until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve them alongside the ardent soba noodles, the dipping sauce, and enjoy this delicious meal!