Cold soba salad with hijiki and tofu (v, gf)
This dish can be made any time during the year, but when it’s so hot in the apartment that we have to hide in the bedroom (the only part with air conditioning), then it’s the only thing that makes sense. It requires turning on the stove, but you can do that part in the morning and let the kitchen cool down by the time you want to eat. It’s a great picnic dish, since you can prepare it ahead of time (even a couple days ahead, if you wait to add the avocado) and serve it at room temperature or even colder.
I think this salad really showcases brown rice vinegar, which I bought after my conversation with Chef Elliott, but I know it can be a little hard to find, so you can use white rice vinegar if that’s what you have. Feel free to also add a seasonal vegetable, like snap peas or shiso.
Ingredients
1/4 cup dried hijiki seaweed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola or sunflower
1 block extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt and pepper
2 oz soba noodles, broken in half
2 large carrots, peeled and grated or cut into matchsticks*
1/2 cup shelled edamame (I used frozen)
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar (or regular rice vinegar)
1 small avocado, cut into small cubes
*To make matchsticks, cut the carrot into slices on the diagonal. Stack a few and cut each slice into small slivers that resemble matchsticks.
Method
Put the hijiki into a bowl with 2 cups of water and leave to soak for 10 minutes, then drain it.
Heat a pan with the sesame oil and add the hijiki. Saute for a couple minutes. Add the soy sauce, ginger, and just enough water to cover it, and then simmer until the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes.
Make the tofu: Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Spread out the tofu cubes in one layer (if your pan is too small, work in batches). Let them cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, which doesn’t happen until all the water has come out. Shuffle them around, adding more oil if you need, but make sure to let them sit for long enough to really cook each side. Turn off the heat and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the pieces.
Heat a pot of water to boiling and add the soba. Boil for about 8-10 minutes, until just cooked, and then remove to a colander. Rinse under cold water, drain, and then mix in a dash of sesame oil.
In a big bowl, combine the everything: the soba, hijiki, tofu, carrots, edamame, and brown rice vinegar. (If you’re preparing the dish ahead of time, add the avocado just before eating.) Toss together well and taste. Add more soy sauce or brown rice vinegar if needed. Serve cold or at room temperature.