{"id":6636,"date":"2020-08-03T11:11:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T16:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/?p=6636"},"modified":"2021-04-18T12:39:10","modified_gmt":"2021-04-18T17:39:10","slug":"soba-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2020\/08\/soba-salad\/","title":{"rendered":"Soba So Good"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I have bad luck making grain salads at home. For vegans, these can be cooling whole meal salads, so it&#8217;s a big deal, especially in summer. They fail on me: Pasta salads either dry or gummy, rice salads that crunch. This soba salad, though, I&#8217;m starting to make weekly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s Japanese in origin, with soba (buckwheat) noodles as the whole-grain carb. The dressing features miso, the Japanese fermented paste, and is amazingly fat free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Credit Mark Bittman once again: adapted from his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markbittman.com\/recipes-1\/soba-salad\">Soba Salad<\/a>. <em>(Further updated April 2021)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soba is made from buckwheat flour or with wheat flour cut in. Generally the package consists of several tied or taped bundles of the short spaghetti-like strands that are 2-3 ounces each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><a href=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" data-attachment-id=\"6641\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2020\/08\/soba-salad\/dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_fotoosvanrobin\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1200,807\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Exif Viewer Ver.1.1&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Dried soba noodles and package\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Source https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin.jpg&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-300x202.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-1024x689.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"Soba noodles, as packaged\" class=\"wp-image-6641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-1024x689.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-150x101.jpg 150w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin-768x516.jpg 768w, https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>One bundle works for this recipe.<br \/>Source: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Why keep miso as a refrigerated staple? Why for miso soup, a quick hot lunch \u2014 bonus recipe follows the salad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Buckwheat can an acquired taste. I loved it the moment I first made kasha years ago. There was a deja vu sense, maybe from the half to three-quarters of my blood that&#8217;s East European Ashkenazic. Kasha is buckwheat groats (whole but hulled) toasted then cooked like rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>2-4 ounces soba buckwheat noodles (1 bundle)<\/li><li>3\/4 cup to 1 cup carrot (1 medium to large), grated OR 1 cup broccoli slaw or cabbage slaw that includes carrot<\/li><li>2 cups frozen <em>shelled<\/em> edamame OR frozen sweet peas OR mixture, no need to thaw<\/li><li>2 Tablespoons soy sauce or similar<\/li><li>2 Tablespoons lime or lemon juice<\/li><li>2 Tablespoons miso paste, any kind<\/li><li>1 teaspoon sugar<\/li><li>1\/2 teaspoon ground black pepper AND\/OR 1\/8 teaspoon red pepper<\/li><li>1 teaspoon ground or granulated dried ginger OR 1 Tablespoon fresh grated (loosely packed) ginger<\/li><li>2 Tablespoons warm water<\/li><li>2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped, OR 1 teaspoon dried minced onion<\/li><li>1-2 cups mixed chopped fresh raw vegetables such as broccoli florets, snow or Sugar Snap peas, bell pepper, mushroom, tomato (Optional)<\/li><li>Salad greens, prepared<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Bring 1 to 1 1\/2 quarts of water to boil in medium saucepan. Add soba noodles and grated carrot, return to boil, then lower heat to simmer 2-4 minutes (or soba package&#8217;s recommended time). Raise heat, add edamame and peas. Return quickly to boil, at which point immediately drain and set aside. (See note on reserving liquid.)<\/li><li>Dressing. In medium mixing bowl, combine ingredients from soy sauce to onion. Whisk with fork to combine, breaking up miso paste. Add up to 2 Tablespoons of warm water to help smooth. <\/li><li>Add to the bowl the mixture of strained but still warm noodles, legumes and grated veg, onion and optional raw vegetables, mix well in the dressing.<\/li><li>Arrange salad greens on plates. Top with portions of the dressed soba mix.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Makes 4 servings. Noodles can range from warm to room temperature. Leftovers keep well, covered and refrigerated; stir before serving again, cold to room temperature, perhaps adding a little lime or lemon juice to refresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The legumes can be all edamame or all peas.<\/li><li>If the salad greens just look too dry or blah, dress them <em>very<\/em> lightly with a little rice vinegar or a simple vinaigrette, before topping with noodle mix.<\/li><li>Any variety of miso is fine.<\/li><li>Find buckwheat soba noodles at Asian markets or natural food groceries. Check the ingredients as the more buckwheat the more authentic the flavor. Also, prices from one brand to another range widely. These do not need to be expensive. <em>Cook&#8217;s Illustrated<\/em> has a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cooksillustrated.com\/articles\/1711-tasting-dried-soba-noodles\">good soba summary<\/a>.<\/li><li>Another long pasta if thin and quick-cooking like thin or angel hair spaghetti can be substituted, perhaps broken in half before cooking. Or a gluten-free pasta. Buckwheat on its own by the way is gluten free.<\/li><li>Frozen edamame often are sold in their pods. Buy a bag where they&#8217;re already shelled.<\/li><li>The mixed vegetable refers to those crunchy veggies often seen in salads, raw. If you&#8217;re more comfortable with, for example, peppers or mushrooms being cooked a bit, add those to the simmer when the beans\/peas go in.<\/li><li>That cooking water? Consider refrigerating and using later as stock for a soup.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Miso Soup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This recipe is for 1 serving, double amounts for two. For 4 servings, keep the miso at 3 Tablespoons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>2 cups water<\/li><li>1 teaspoon low-salt vegan vegetable broth powder (optional)<\/li><li>1\/2 cup shelled edamame OR diced tofu<\/li><li>1 cup vegetables, chopped if needed to bite size<\/li><li>1 Tablespoon miso<\/li><li>1 green onion, top and bottom, chopped (optional)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Boil water in saucepan. Stir in optional broth powder. Add edamame\/tofu and vegetables. Reduce heat and simmer 4-5 minutes.<\/li><li>Remove from heat. Place miso paste in small bowl. Add a few Tablespoons of just the broth to the miso and stir until smooth. Pour the warmed, liquified miso into the soup pot and mix well. Ladle into soup bowl(s), optionally sprinkle with green onion. Serve hot.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Miso paste loses some magic if overheated. Do not mix it into boiling water. Get the soup off the burner and let cool no less than 2 minutes before completing the recipe.<\/li><li>The ratio of vegetables to broth is no more than 1:2. (My soups otherwise tend to be on the stew-y side.) The first vegetable to consider are mushrooms. A cup of vegetables isn&#8217;t very many, that might just be 2-3 button or baby bella shrooms. Diced zucchini, tomato and\/or celery are great, too. Frozen veggies do well here.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have bad luck making grain salads at home. For vegans, these can be cooling whole meal salads, so it&#8217;s a big deal, especially in summer. They fail on me: Pasta salads either dry or gummy, rice salads that crunch. This soba salad, though, I&#8217;m starting to make weekly. It&#8217;s Japanese in origin, with soba [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entrees"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dried_soba_noodles_and_package_by_FotoosVanRobin.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2497,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2010\/12\/fried-soup\/","url_meta":{"origin":6636,"position":0},"title":"Fried Soup","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"December 20, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Copyright 2010 Ben S. Pollock This recipe was revised in October 2013. \"Fried soup\" was what I announced when I brought these to the table, what otherwise are called veggie croquettes, pancakes or burgers. When I try to make veggie burgers they fall apart. These held together and are as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Main Courses&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Main Courses","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/entrees\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6995,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2021\/02\/french-dressing\/","url_meta":{"origin":6636,"position":1},"title":"French as in Red","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"February 21, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"My Beloved and I, on the far side of middle age, recall bottled French as a deep red and savory salad dressing, maybe a hint of sweetness. Groceries these days have moved French dressing below or way above eye level on shelves so it must be out of fashion. Those\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Condiments&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Condiments","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/condiments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Plate of lettuce salad","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/5aday_salad.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/5aday_salad.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/5aday_salad.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/5aday_salad.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6497,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2020\/02\/2-pancake-recipes\/","url_meta":{"origin":6636,"position":2},"title":"Flapjacks or Flapjanes","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"February 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Pancakes, hotcakes and the like are pretty much just another flatbread. But they mean breakfast maybe more than brunch and sweet usually not savory. These two low-fat vegan versions are not bland, either. (Comment: the featured photo is of the Cakey Multigrain Pancakes. That may be why that recipe is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bake&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bake","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/bake\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/fok-pancakes-022320JPG.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/fok-pancakes-022320JPG.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/fok-pancakes-022320JPG.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/fok-pancakes-022320JPG.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/fok-pancakes-022320JPG.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4591,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2013\/10\/fried-soup-veganized\/","url_meta":{"origin":6636,"position":3},"title":"Fried Soup &#8211; Veganized","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"October 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"After consideration, here is a major revision of my 2010 vegetarian burger recipe, Fried Soup. While dropping the egg from the ingredients was a factor, the instructions needed further fluffing. Besides simple editing, feedback from students at my three-part October 2013 class \"Vegan - As Easy as You Want,\" showed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Main Courses&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Main Courses","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/entrees\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6884,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2020\/12\/make-ranch\/","url_meta":{"origin":6636,"position":4},"title":"Don&#8217;t Buy the Ranch, Make It","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"December 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"To start with, oils are 14 grams of fat per Tablespoon, a standard amount, and that's the same for any of them, olive, avocado, coconut, soybean. Conventional vinaigrettes are 2\/3 oil and 1\/3 acid, not counting salt and other flavorings. Even before I started eating really healthy, that seemed like\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Condiments&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Condiments","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/condiments\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Illustration of a bowl of salad","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/salad-bowl-openclipart.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/salad-bowl-openclipart.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/salad-bowl-openclipart.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/salad-bowl-openclipart.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/salad-bowl-openclipart.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/salad-bowl-openclipart.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7865,"url":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/2024\/07\/ozarkonomiyaki\/","url_meta":{"origin":6636,"position":5},"title":"Ozarkonomiyaki","author":"Ben S. Pollock","date":"July 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Japanese-style savory vegan pancake (okonomiyaki) with everyday ingredients Okonomiyaki (Japanese more or less for \"grilled to your liking\") is a thick pancake with a lot of regional variations. Most recipes online indicate they're usually savory, loaded with vegetables but no oil \u2014 an ideal 21st-century vegan crossover. As I've experimented,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Main Courses&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Main Courses","link":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/category\/kook-cooks\/entrees\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Okonomiyaki patties ready to serve","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/okonomiyaki-ready-to-serve-16x9-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/okonomiyaki-ready-to-serve-16x9-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/okonomiyaki-ready-to-serve-16x9-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/okonomiyaki-ready-to-serve-16x9-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/okonomiyaki-ready-to-serve-16x9-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-content\/uploads\/okonomiyaki-ready-to-serve-16x9-1.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6636"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7039,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6636\/revisions\/7039"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/benpollock.com\/brick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}