Sesame-crusted bonito and edamame with green-tea soba noodles

Name: Sesame-crusted bonito and edamame with green-tea soba noodles
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 40 gm white sesame seeds; 400 gm green-tea soba noodles; 2 tsp grapeseed oil; 400 gm skinless bonito fillets (or other fish fillets), trimmed; 40 gm pickled ginger, torn (optional) (¼ cup); 100 gm frozen edamame, peas removed from shells; ½ cup (loosely packed) shiso leaves; 1 spring onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal; 5 gm dried bonito flakes (see note); 80 ml tamari (⅓ cup); 2 tsp roasted sesame oil; 1½ tsp finely grated ginger; 1 tsp brown rice wine vinegar

Noodles are great served cold. The trick is to refresh them under cold running water to rinse off the extra starch and stop them cooking. If you aren’t using them immediately, toss them in oil and refrigerate them. Any fish works well here, as does silken tofu.

Mar 15, 2017 1:00pm

By Lisa Featherby

15 mins preparation
5 mins cooking plus chilling
Serves 4

Noodles are great served cold. The trick is to refresh them under cold running water to rinse off the extra starch and stop them cooking. If you aren't using them immediately, toss them in oil and refrigerate them. Any fish works well here, as does silken tofu.

Ingredients

40 gm white sesame seeds
400 gm green-tea soba noodles
2 tsp grapeseed oil
400 gm skinless bonito fillets (or other fish fillets), trimmed
40 gm pickled ginger, torn (optional) (¼ cup)
100 gm frozen edamame, peas removed from shells
½ cup (loosely packed) shiso leaves
1 spring onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Tamari-dashi dressing

5 gm dried bonito flakes (see note)
80 ml tamari (⅓ cup)
2 tsp roasted sesame oil
1½ tsp finely grated ginger
1 tsp brown rice wine vinegar

Method

Main

1
For tamari-dashi dressing, place bonito flakes in a bowl, cover with 100ml boiling water and stir gently for 2 minutes to infuse. Strain, then whisk in remaining ingredients.
2
Dry-roast sesame seeds in a frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden (3-5 minutes). Transfer to a plate to cool.
3
Cook soba in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, arresting the boiling once or twice during cooking by adding ½ cup cold water, until soba are tender (3-4 minutes). Drain, then gently rinse under cold water. Drain again and transfer to a bowl. Toss with grapeseed oil to coat, then refrigerate until chilled (1 hour).
4
Roll bonito in toasted sesame seeds to coat, then thinly slice with a good sharp knife. Divide noodles among bowls, top with fish, pickled ginger, edamame, shiso leaves and spring onion, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Notes

Bonito flakes are available in the Asian section of select supermarkets and from Asian grocers, or substitute ½ tsp dashi powder, available from supermarkets.