Soba Salad Rolls

What’s a girl to do? It was almost noon. I had spent the morning accomplishing general correspondence, taking a walk, and reading a book entitled, "The Renaissance Soul," by Margaret Lobenstine. Now, I was hungry - cosmically hungry for nourishment, enlightenment, and satisfaction.

I opened the refrigerator to discover that no dark, leafy greens graced its shelves. Creative food requires greens, sprouts, shoots, leaves, and herbs. Associated with springtime, these vegetables energetically assist the body in reaching towards the sky. All I found was some lettuce, scallions, and mint leaves.

Then I thought of eating some root vegetables for stability. Associated with wintertime, these dense edibles are full of the grounding force that keeps my creativity in check. A bunch of carrots peeked out underneath the lettuce.

But a salad? I needed something that would engage my senses and keep me satiated for the next several hours without the slightest tummy gurgle. Hum….

The idea flowed out of me in stages: soba noodles, because they were fast and full of buckwheat (a grain we Americans often neglect); salad rolls, since I found a lost cucumber in the vegetable bin; adding a bit of pickled red cabbage on top for color and digestive properties. Aha! Lunch…

The nice thing about this dish is that the proportions and ingredients are approximate. Have cilantro instead of mint in the house? Great! Want to use garlic in the sauce instead of ginger? Fine. What about adding more cayenne or a bit of chili sauce? Be my guest.

Although this may seem like a restaurant-style dish with too many ingredients and steps, I urge you to reconsider. How hard is it to mix nut-butter with soy sauce and a few other seasonings while the soba noodle water is coming to a boil? Is tearing off a few mint leaves that complicated? This is the perfect dish for two (or one with leftovers tomorrow). All I can say is that I’m no longer hungry…at least not for food. :)

Soba Salad Rolls

For the soba noodles:

6 ounces soba noodles, cooked according to product instruction, rinsed and drained
1 small cucumber, grated (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, grated
1/4 cup mint leaves
8 soft lettuce leaves, or as much as you want!
2 teaspoons pickled red cabbage, fermented and raw (optional)

For the nut-butter sauce: (All quantities are approximate. Taste and adjust as desired)

1/3 cup chunky or smooth peanut or almond butter
1/2 scallion, minced
1/8 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
+ or – 1 tablespoon soy sauce and brown rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey, mirin, or agave
a dash of cayenne, or to taste

Stir all ingredients in a large bowl, loosening the mixture with a few teaspoons of pasta-cooking liquid, if needed to create a sauce.

To serve:

Mix the noodles, cucumber, and carrot into the sauce. Present the lettuce, mint, and cabbage on a separate plate. To eat, mound a heap of noodles onto a lettuce leaf, top with mint and a dab of cabbage (if desired) and enjoy!