Vegan and vegetarian food and treats, So Delicious!

Why hello there darlings! I have one more vegan Asian New Years recipe for ya. Japanese soba noodles!! Yes indeedy. My family gathering had a big bowl of soba noodles and I was inhaling it like no other…as were my other family members. There is such simplicity to this vegan recipe that is both refreshing and sublime at the same time, kind of like listening to Joni Mitchell. Okay, but the reason why Japanese people traditionally eat soba noodles at New Years, is that it is thought to bring about a good, long, healthy life. Get it?! Long noodles = long life. Word!

Anywho, this is again, a super duper easy vegetarian/vegan recipe for ya’ll to try. So the main thing about the dish is the noodles. Oodles of noodles. Okay bad joke, sorry. ANYWAY. Soba noodles are usually made from buckwheat and very health for you. They usually have a brownish tint to them, unless they are Green Tea soba noodles, and then in that case, they have a hint of green. You can get the dried form [which basically looks like regular pasta], from any Japanese supermarket [like Nijiya or Mitsuwa], or any other Asian food market. I think sometimes even large American supermarket chains are starting to carry “exotic” things like that. You’ll also need to make a sauce for the noodles to go with, and I’ll list some additional condiments you can top your soba off with! Oh, I also almost forgot to mention, this is a dish that is usually served COLD, much like revenge. Damn!! What’s with me and the corny jokes?! Anyway, eating soba cold is actually super refreshing and light, and is also very delicious.

On to the actual recipe:

Japanese soba noodles (vegan recipe):
Ingredients:
1 bundle Green Tea Soba Noodles
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
2 spring onions, sliced at an angle
Pickled Ginger, to serve
Grated Daikon, to serve
Wasabi Paste, to serve
Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice Powder)

As every noodle noodles differently, it’s best to cook them according to the directions on the packet. After they’re cooked, drain and run them under cold water to cool.

Soba sauce
Ingredients:
2 cups grated daikon [or white radish]
½ cup Shoyu (Japanese word for “soy sauce”…schoolin’ ya)
½ cup Mirin

Place the daikon, shoyu and mirin in a small saucepan - bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook for a further 2 minutes. Cool, then chill.

After that, then the soba is all ready to be served and consumed! How easy is that. Cool right? So just put them in some little bowls, or if you’re feeling all traditional and shietttt, bust out the contraption you see in the picture above. That’s how the REAL Japanese do. Also, as mentioned earlier, the condiments really add flair to this meal. Vegan option-wise, usually shredded nori [dried, flavored seaweed] and some chopped up green onions are usually enough flair for me. But you can also add pickled ginger, tsukemono, or whatever other Japanese [or non, if you’re more experimental] flair, and have yourself a ball!

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