Corinne Trang is the author of Noodles Everyday: Delicious Asian Recipes from Ramen to Rice Sticks.
Soba with Grilled Asparagus and Sea Scallops with Sweet Miso Sauce
Serves 6
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup sake
3 Tablespoons mirin
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup white miso
1 Tablespoon finely grated ginger
1/4 cup vegetable oil
10 oz dried soba noodles
36 medium asparagus spears, coarse woody ends snapped or cut off
18 sea scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 walnut halves, lightly toasted (see Note) and coarsely chopped
In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, sake, mirin, and rice vinegar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the white miso, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the oil and whisk until well combined. Set the miso glaze aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook the noodles until tender yet firm, about 3 minutes. Drain, shock under cold running water, and drain again.
Heat a well-oiled grill pan over medium heat. Brush the asparagus and scallops with all or most of the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the asparagus first until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes total, rolling them about to heat them evenly all around. Divide and top each noodle serving with asparagus. Grill the scallops in the same pan until cooked through and crisp on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Divide the scallops among the servings of noodles, and spoon some miso glaze over each. Serve garnished with toasted walnuts.
Note: To toast the walnut halves, put them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes, being sure to shake the pan so as not to burn the pieces. Remove from the pan and cool slightly before chopping.
Singapore Noodles
Serves 6
8 oz dried rice vermicelli, soaked in water until pliable
24 small tiger shrimp, heads removed, peeled and deveined
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup fresh shelled green peas, or frozen peas, thawed
2 tsps Indian curry powder
6 oz Cantonese roast pork or thick slice of ham, diced
1 1/2 Tablespoons fish sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sprigs cilantro, trimmed
Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook the noodles until tender yet firm, about 10 seconds. Use a strainer and tongs to pick up the noodles and transfer them to a bowl. In the same water cook the shrimp until opaque, about 1 minute, and drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Stir-fry the onion until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the noodles, and peas, and sprinkle the curry powder over the top. Toss well, making sure all of the noodles become yellow. Add the pork, shrimp, and fish sauce, and continue to stir-fry until the noodles are heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve garnished with cilantro.