Karen Martini soba noodle salad

This is a favourite lunchtime salad of mine at present, sometimes with a soft-boiled egg standing in for the tofu. Cooking the shiitakes in a dry pan like this really intensifies their meatiness and umami, which works beautifully with the chilled noodles. I love the refreshing, slippery quality of the noodles and silken tofu, but it’s making sure that they’re well dressed in the richness of the other ingredients that really makes them sing.

Serves 4

240g buckwheat soba noodles
12 medium shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
salt flakes
250g silken tofu, cut into large dice
1 avocado, cut into 8 wedges
1 cucumber, julienned
½ cup fresh small peas, raw
3 spring onions, green and white parts, sliced on an angle
½ bunch of coriander, leaves picked

For the dressing
3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar*
1½ tbsp crispy chilli and garlic oil*
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated

1. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, rinse well under cold water and chill.

2. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

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3. Place the shiitakes, top down, in a heavy frying-pan over high heat. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat. Stand for 5 minutes, then slice finely.

4. Place the chilled noodles in a shallow serving bowl. Top with the tofu, avocado, cucumber and raw peas, following with the mushrooms. Spoon over the dressing, then scatter the spring onion and coriander leaves on top.