SESAME SOBA BOWL WITH SALMON

"Bowls" are the newest trend in food and this one is definitely my favourite. Though there are a number of ingredients, each step is simple and the results are pretty excellent. This colourful bowl is packed with vitamins, protein and, most importantly, flavour and the sesame sauce is truly amazing.

Asian sauces and vinegars are pantry staples in our house. If you don't have them, I suggest investing in a few of these simple ingredients that can elevate any dish from ordinary to extraordinary.

Ingredients

4 tsp canola oil

1/8 cup chicken stock or water

1 egg per person - hard boiled

1 cup edamame beans - shelled

3 cups cremini or shitake mushrooms - chopped

1 carrot - julienned

1/2 lb baby bok choy

1 sheet nori or 1 package of korean toasted and seasoned seaweed sheets (these are available everywhere - even Costco!)

1 salmon fillet - skinned and pin-boned, rinsed and patted dry

cilantro

Japanese soba noodles

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp chili paste (you can use sambal or sriracha)

Sesame Sauce

1 cup tahini paste

4 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar

1 tsp grated gingner

1 clove garlic - minced or grated through a microplane

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

salt as required

Method

1. hard boil eggs and set aside

2. in a blender or food processor, add all of the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth and combined. taste for seasoning and set aside.

2. place salmon fillet in a large dish and add soy sauce, sesame oil and chilli paste. marinate uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. pre-heat broiler to 500°

4. when broiler is hot, place salmon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until slightly charred and fully cooked through. approx 15 mins. the cooking time depends on the size and thickness of your fish so keep an eye on it. remove from the oven and set aside.

5. in a pan, sautee mushrooms in 1 tsp canola oil. season with salt.

6. when cooked, remove mushrooms and add 1 tsp canola oil and carrots. sautée until slightly tender. season with salt. remove and set aside.

7. in the same pan, add 1 tsp canola oil and baby bok choy. season with salt and add chicken stock or water. Cook until slightly tender. Remove and set aside.

8. add final 1 tsp canola oil. add edamame and season with salt. sautee until tender. remove and set aside.

8. place a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil

9. cut nori or toasted seaweed into strips

10. when water comes to a rolling boil, add soba and cook according to package directions.

11. drain noodles and, while hot, toss with sesame sauce.

I like to assemble this dish in a large bowl with noodles in the middle and all of the vegetables/fish/egg surrounding it. Garnish with cilantro.