Flavorful and Colorful Tahini Soba Salad

Name: Flavorful and colorful tahini soba salad
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pint Cherry tomatoes (Can use any tomatoes.); 1 Orange bell pepper (Can use red or yellow.); 3 Lebanese cucumbers (Can use one regular cucumber. ); 1/5 Daikon radish (About 1 cup in matchstick cut. Can use other types of radishes.); 8 Dried shiitake mushroom (Hydrated and cooked.); 1/4 cup Basil leaves (Teared apart or chopped into small pieces.); 1/2 cup Cilantro leaves (Teared apart or chopped into small pieces.); 1/4 cup Mint leaves (Teared apart or chopped into small pieces.); 8 oz Dried soba noodles (Feel free to use more.); 1/8 tsp Salt (To sprinkle over vegetables before squeezing.); 3 tbsps Tahini; 2-1/2 tbsp Soy sauce; 2 tbsp Maple syrup (Can use honey, or a sweet relish.); 1-1/2 tbsp Rice vinegar (Can use apple cider or other light colored vinegar.); 2 cloves Garlic (More, if you like. Pressed.); 1/2 inch Ginger root (Grated. Feel free to use powder, about 1/2 tsp.); 5 stalks Green onion (White and pale green parts only, chopped.); 2 tsp Sesame oil (Adjust the amount, depending on the amount of oil in the Tahini.); 1 tbsp Sesame seeds; 1/4 tsp Crushed red peppers (More, if you like the heat.); 12 oz Shrimps (Tails removed); 1/4 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Paprika powder (Or any of your favorite seasoning.); 1 tsp Sesame oil

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Here is another great way to enjoy cold soba noodles, this time as a superstar noodle salad coated with earthy and creamy Tahini based dressing.

In summer, I regularly make a traditional Japanese style cold noodle dish like the one in the earlier post by mixing vegetables and other ingredients to dip and enjoy. I wanted to try something a little different, and realized I can make a noodle salad by pretty much using the same ingredients and dressing it with a sesame/soy based dressing.

What ingredients work best?

While most vegetables and aromatics will work well for both, there are a few nuances. By all means, please try whatever feels good with you. Here are options that I’ve found work well:

Works for both:
- Most vegetables – tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, green peas/beans, broccoli, etc. For the Tahini salad, you’d want to cut them in smaller/thinner pieces and either branch them or make them a bit more tender by sprinkling salt lightly and lightly squeezing liquid (see recipe).
- Semi-soft fruits – plums, apricots, nectarines, and peaches.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms – brought back to be tender, sliced and briefly cooked.
- “White” proteins – grilled/broiled/steamed and lightly seasoned chicken, shrimp, tofu, etc.
- Lightly seasoned eggs cooked in a pancake style and sliced.
- Green onions and ginger.
- Toasted sesame seeds.
- Wasabi can work, and if you use it for Tahini, you should taste it and decrease the amount of maple syrup/honey.
Great for Tahini salad, but probably not for Japanese style soba noodles (although you could definitely try):
- Garlic.
- Herbs like cilantro, basil, and mint.
- Black/red chili peppers.
- Vinegar.
- Mustard
Likely better reserved for Japanese soba noodles:
- Nori, seaweed sheet

What about noodles?

While I like soba noodles for cold salads like this, sometimes it’s good to use noodles with different textures, like glass, rice, standard yellow noodles, and even vermicelli or angel hair pasta. For example, a friend of mine from Korea brought back noodles made from a citrus called hanrabong, a specialty in the Jeju island. I used it right away and it was perfect, with a hint of citrus flavor and bouncy texture.

As long as they are relatively thin, most noodles will work well. Thick and hefty ones, like udon or macaroni, are generally not a great fit.

What about the dressing?

I encourage you to try out different aromatics and seasonings, and here are some recommendations:

Non-negotiables – in addition to the namesake Tahini:
- Pressed garlic, grated ginger, and sliced green onion, a.k.a. Three Aroma Kings. Tips for saving time in using them are in the earlier post.
- Vinegar – I usually use brown rice vinegar, and other white-ish vinegar including apple cider vinegar works well. Lemon and other citrus juice does not appear to have a strong enough acidity to penetrate through Tahini.
- Soy sauce – the balance of savory and sweet is essential and soy sauce works best in this case.
- Maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar to balance out the bitterness of Tahini.
Optionals:
- Dried shiitake mushroom – I wanted to include as non-negotiables, and yet I know it’s not always easy to get. If you can swing it, please include as it adds such a great depth.
- Sesame oil – depending on the oiliness of Tahini, you can add a teaspoon or two of sesame oil.
- Toasted sesame seeds – they are nice additions, not only for the taste/texture and for the “sesamey” look.
- Pepperly taste – red pepper flakes, black pepper, or even mustard will add a bit of zinginess.

Prepping vegetables

In prepping vegetables to make sure they take in the Tahini dressing well while preserving their individual flavors and textures, you would want to think about things like:

Do not use oil beforehand – so, no sauteing or stir frying.
Very light seasoning, if any – tomatoes can benefit from very light salt before incorporating into the salad.
Blanch with light salt – works well for peas, beans, and broccoli.
Sprinkle salt ever so lightly after slicing, leave for 10 min and lightly squeeze excess liquid – for cucumbers, bell peppers, daikon radish, etc.

Ready to enjoy the harmony

Once you have all the ingredients prepped, I recommend first pour about 1/2 of the dressing over the vegetables and herbs, cradle them gently about a dozen times, and then add noodles and protein, pour the remaining dressing over them, and again gently cradle about a dozen more times. It tastes better if you let it sit for about 30 min. or so.
Enjoy your own version of colorful, flavorful, and nutritious noodle salad!