Sesame Soba Salad with Toasted Buckwheat
Just what I want to eat in the summer, HBU?
Hello Susanality readers!
I’m so glad you’re here! Fresh off of last week's post about Rachel Simons’ new book Sesame, I’ve got another sesame recipe for you. As much as I try to plan my posts out to ensure variety, sometimes I slip up—so here we go. But as far as I can tell, most of you are really excited about incorporating tahini into your cooking repertoire, and this salad is a really great vehicle for doing that.
But first I’d like to congratulate James Lima for winning the book and fabulous gift set courtesy of Seed + Mill. If you want to be able to participate in future giveaways and gain access to the full recipe archive, weekly recipes, and more, consider joining James as a paid subscriber.
All about buckwheat
Another critical ingredient for this versatile noodle salad are the buckwheat groats. I have been enamored by toasted buckwheat ever since I first tried it years ago. I had cooked and eaten plenty of kasha in my life, usually the cracked kind, and usually in the form of earthy kasha varnishkes, but Eastern European/Jewish cooking isn't the only place it turns up.
Though I knew buckwheat flour was used extensively in Brittany, the birthplace of the savory buckwheat crepes you might have had at Breizh Cafe in Paris, it wasn't until I traveled to Brittany last summer that I saw how intrinsic it’s become there. Some call it a pseudo-grain, and it’s in the same family as rhubarb (did you know?). To read more about buckwheat and its fascinating history in the area, click here.
Besides using it as flour for crepes with savory fillings known as galettes, chefs and pastry chefs in Brittany are using buckwheat whole, as we are in today’s recipe. It only takes a few minutes of toasting in a pan or in the oven to render it crunchy and nutty. For those with nut allergies, toasted buckwheat is a great way to add a nutty crunch to just about anything, but especially salads.
Buckwheat is also grown in Japan—primarily in Hokkaido—and is made into soba, which luckily is found in just about every supermarket and is such a good pantry staple. This time of year, I love to throw together a cold (well, maybe not cold, but not hot) noodle salad. I’ll serve it on its own—with or without a protein added—or as a side dish with a simple grilled chicken or pork. Steve added silken tofu to the leftovers for lunch when this was in the fridge this week, and it lent a creaminess that was really nice. The snap peas stay green and crunchy in the leftovers and the buckwheat stays crunchy for a day or two as well.
I have a recipe for a similar salad in Veg Forward called “Double-Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Green Beans and Broccolini.” I had decided to do a bit of a mashup by adding toasted buckwheat to a buckwheat noodle salad. Makes perfect sense, no? I just loved the crunch and extra flavor this added.
This idea was validated for me even further when I ate at RVR (pronounced River) in Venice, CA a few weeks ago. This new-ish restaurant from Travis Lett, the former and founding chef of Gjelina and Gjusta, is an impossibly cool and laid back restaurant that could only be found in California. When I say cool, I don’t mean overly hip to the point where you feel like you don’t belong. In fact it’s just the opposite: It’s friendly and chill, with a DJ spinning vinyl to match the mood of the room. And the food is delicious. Imagine the food at Gjelina, but through a Japanese lens. It’s an izakaya, which means it’s a casual place with small shareable plates and a pub atmosphere.
On the long list of vegetable dishes was a wild arugula, tahini, and seeded buckwheat furikake which I knew I had to try, and it did not disappoint. I didn't notice any nori in the furikake, or even seeds, but the buckwheat was front and center, and I loved how it nestled into the slightly creamy dressing. It was good to the last drop!
Where to buy buckwheat
Have I convinced you to try toasted buckwheat? I hope so! Now all you have to do is find it. Most supermarkets carry it, but you have to know where to look. You would think it would be with the grains, but no, it’s usually in the small section of Jewish foods, alongside boxes of matzo and jars of gefilte fish, borscht, etc.
The main brand is Wolff’s, and it comes in a variety of granulations. They recently updated their packaging to resealable bags rather than the dowdy old boxes they had for years. You want buckwheat “groats” for this, which are the whole grain. Here’s a link to the Wolff’s website, where you can find all the different types they offer as well as links to order them.
You might also find buckwheat groats in bulk bins at a Whole Foods. Please, go on a scavenger hunt in your supermarket and let me know!
Here are some of the ways you can riff on this salad:
Add fresh herbs: cilantro, mint, Thai basil, or shiso would all shine here.
Add your favorite chile crisp: Dribble it on top or serve it on the side so you can mix it in as you eat.
Add any green veggie you like (but I really love the crunch of the sugar snap peas): Try green beans, asparagus, or broccoli.
Add drained cucumber: Slice cucumbers thinly, sprinkle with salt, mix well, and let drain for 20 minutes. Rinse if you like, and squeeze the extra moisture out. Chill until needed.
Add thinly sliced scallions.
Add slivered carrots or red bell pepper.
Top with shredded chicken.
Top with silken tofu.
Sesame Soba Salad with Toasted Buckwheat
Serves 4 to 6
Most soba noodles are made from a combo of wheat flour and buckwheat flour. If you’re gluten-free, you can seek out ones that are 100% buckwheat, but they are more prone to breakage when cooked, so handle with care. Depending on the tahini you use, you might need more or less water to thin the dressing. It should be thick and creamy but pourable.
For the dressing:
¼ cup/68 g tahini
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
Big pinch of sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons warm water (or more as needed)
For the salad:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
¼ cup whole buckwheat groats (aka kasha)
Kosher salt
1 pint sugar snap peas, strings removed
8 ounces/225 g soba noodles
A few handfuls baby arugula
Flaky sea salt, to finish
In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, miso, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Slowly add water until it’s the right consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the buckwheat and stir to coat evenly in the oil. Lower the heat when the groats begin to sizzle and cook, stirring, until they smell nutty and turn a shade darker, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a small plate. Salt to taste and set aside.
Bring a large saucepan or small stockpot to a boil. Add salt and the snap peas and cook for 10 to 20 seconds, just until bright green. Scoop them out with a large sieve, spider, or slotted spoon, and refresh in ice water. When cold, drain and blot dry. Cut each snap pea in half lengthwise. Keep the water boiling.
In the same pot, cook the noodles according to the package directions, being careful not to overcook. Drain and rinse with abundant cold water. Drain well.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the noodles, ⅔ of the snap peas, ⅔ of the toasted buckwheat, the arugula, and the dressing. Toss well until everything is well coated. Adjust seasonings or loosen with water if needed. Transfer to a serving vessel and top with remaining snap peas, buckwheat, and flaky salt. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Thanks so much Susan for the lovely shout out for SESAME. This salad is so perfect for summer - served hot or cold! Please share with us how you take such incredible photography - on your iphone!!! This first photo is captivating!
This recipe is EXACTLY what I want but didn't know I wanted! I like the interplay of crispy toasted buckwheat, toothsome soba, and snappy/crunchy vegetable textures along with the zesty sesame dressing.