Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Scallion Sauce and Soy-Glazed Tofu

New York is amazing, marvelous, breathtaking, extraordinary, wonderful in the winter time… especially between Thanksgiving and New Years. Manhatten glows all evening, and usually while I love being downtown, midtown simply does Christmastime better…

Walking up Fifth Avenue from Rockerfeller Center, the snow falls softly, while boutiques and department stores across the city get dressed up for the season. And while I love Fifth, Third Avenue is secretly my favorite… We spend the day nibbling on Bouchon Bakery pastries and macarons, sipping hot chocolate and shopping… The afternoon turns into evening and after the kids revel in FAO Schwartz and Macy’s Santaland, we are a bit cold and starving. We walk through Gramercy Park and end up at Momofuku Noodle Bar in lower Manhattan…. Ahhh…. their Ginger Scallion Noodles warm our insides and leave our bellies oh so satisfied.

Returning to the west coast, I realize that there are some things that NYC just does best. Every time I visit, I am re-inspired by all the local cuisine. These soba noodles are an homage to one of those great New York City dishes: the ginger scallion noodles at Momofuku Noodle Bar. Simple, satisfying, and on a really cold day, sublime.

Yield: Serves 2 to 3 dinner sized portions

Ingredients

9 oz Soba noodles
8 oz extra firm tofu, cubed
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
3 tbsp soy sauce mixed with 1 tsp honey
3 lime wedges
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
1/2 cup julienned carrots

For the sweet ginger scallion sauce:
1 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tbsp. minced ginger
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2-3 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. chili oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt, add gradually as needed

Directions

Mix all the ingredients for the sweet ginger scallion sauce in the bowl and check for the seasoning. Keep it aside for 10 -15 minutes for the flavors to develop.

Boil the soba noodles as per the instruction on the package. Meanwhile, in a hot skillet add 1 tbsp oil and then the tofu and let cook 1 minute. Next add the soy sauce-honey mixture and continue cooking on medium-high heat until all sides for tofu have browned. Set aside.

Add the sauce, sesame seeds, red pepper, carrots and tofu to the noodles and toss well, check for the seasoning one last time. Sprinkle some lime juice if you like and enjoy satisfying your insides!