Japanese Noodle And Cucumber Salad Food

SOBA NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients.
• To make the dressing, combine the vegetable oil, sesame oil, and crushed red peppers in a small saucepan.
• Whisk it all together and infuse the oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can put these ingredients in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Set aside to let it cool a bit; be careful while handling as it'll get very hot.
• Add the honey and soy sauce to the oil mixture.
• Whisk it all together until the honey has completely dissolved.
• Bring water to a boil in a large pot (you do not need to salt the water for cooking soba). Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, but make sure they are al dente. Drain into a colander and rinse the soba noodles under cold running water. This step is important to remove the excess starch from the noodles and to stop the cooking. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
• Thinly slice the green onions and chop the cilantro into small pieces.
• Add the dressing, green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds to the bowl with the soba noodles.
• Toss everything together. Transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

JAPANESE NOODLE AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the noodles in boiling water until barely tender.
• Rince immediately with cold water until cool, drain thoroughly and put in a medium bowl.
• Mix vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and salt and pour over the noodles.
• Stir well.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill noodles in refrigerator until cold.
• Peel and seed the cucumber.
• Cut into quarters lengthwise, then into thin sticks.
• Divide the noodles on four salad plates, sprinkle evenly with cucumber pieces, green onion and sesame seeds.