Super-dooper Salmon Soba Salad

Anyone heard of soba? It's a type of Japanese noodle made of buckwheat flour which I absolutely fell in love with when holidaying in Japan early this year. While tasting delicious, it's relatively low in calories compared to white pasta, is gluten free and protein packed with all the amino acids essential for good health compared. Win.

This light and refreshing dish (packed with all the good-stuff) might seem a bit tedious to put together but you won't regret it after you try the the soy marinade. It really brings together the flaked salmon, noodles and vegetables together. Feel free to replace the carrots or kale with snow peas, asparagus, broccoli or whatever other  vegetables you like - the more the merrier anyway! 


Oh yeah and this can be served cold or warm depending on your mood (or the weather).
Enjoy and have a fabulous weekend (while I study for my last two exams..).

Salmon Soba Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 salmon fillets
1 large carrot, grated
2 cups of kale, washed and chopped
1 packet dried soba noodles (packets usually vary from 200-250grams)
2cm piece fresh ginger root, minced
2 tablespoons mirin/Japanese rice wine
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with foil. Lightly rub salmon with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. 
2. Let the salmon sit in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking it for 20-25 minutes until your liking (I personally like my salmon still half raw). When it's done, pop it out, let it cool, flake into smaller pieces and set aside.
3. Cook the soba noodles according to instructions (similar to pasta, boil water + dump them in + wait). Drain the noodles and run under cold water. Pop it in the fridge if you prefer it chilled.
4. Bring another (or same) saucepan of water to boil. Blanch the kale by stirring them into the boiling water for a minute or so, remove, drain and run immediately under cold water.
5. In a bowl mix together vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, mirin and remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. 
6. Finally assembly this together with the kale, carrot, flaked salmon and half the soba noodles. Top with extra grated ginger, spring onion, chilli flakes or sesame seed.
Enjoy :)