Yesterday I made a noodle salad, a Soba (buckwheat) Noodle Salad, as I am experimenting with gluten-free food for the next month. As I was coming into the home I noticed a few large and beautiful dandelions in the flower bed. I pulled a couple out and brought them inside. After washing well (do you know how dirty food is when it grows in an area of biodiversity?! lots of nature’s bits were amongst the leaves) the dandelion was ready to be chopped.
Below are photos and a rough recipe for the salad. The dressing was a Thai type sauce that a friend generously gave to us. It had ginger, garlic, paprika, tumeric, cayenne, brown sugar, tamari, coconut milk, peanut butter, salt, lime juice – everything but the kitchen sink! Any heavier, fuller flavor dressing will work with the noodles.
Soba Noodles are often sold with gluten grains along with the buckwheat. Shop carefully if you are serving someone with a gluten intolerance. The best part was the dandelion! They are spicy and added a character of their own to this salad. Love all of nature by embracing the beauty and nutrition in dandelions!
Soba Noodle Dandelion Salad – Gluten Free
For the vegetables in this salad use whatever is in your crisper!
Cooked Soba Noodles, rinsed with cold water, drained well
Red Onion, chopped
Carrots, grated
Cucumber, grated
Dandelion, chopped
Kidney Beans, strained
Peanuts, lightly pan roasted and chopped
Dressing, refer to the list above or use your own favorite
Combe all of the ingredients in a bowl, and pour over enough dressing to taste throughout the salad. Add seasoning as necessary. Chill for 30 minutes maximum, to allow the dressing to be absorbed into the noodles. The noodles become heavier as they become colder, and the seasonings dull with the cold so this salad is best served at room temperature.
Shanthi
