I love noodles and soba noodles are one of my favorites!  They also can be gluten-free if you find 100% buckwheat noodles. This recipe is based off of one found in Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone.  You can leave out the seaweed if it is hard to find, or you don’t like it.  Prepping the seaweed adds time to the dish so it would save time too.  I recommend giving it a try though, sea veggies have a unique taste and are so good for you.  I think the hijiki really adds a lot of depth to the flavor.

Winter Soba Noodles

• 1/4 cup hijiki seaweed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2/3 of a package of soba noodles (about 6 oz)
• 5-6 green onions white and light green parts sliced
• 1 large clove garlic chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• A few handfuls of julienned carrots (I bought a bag to use for slaw and stir-fries so easy!)
• 1 package mushrooms – I used a blend of shitake, crimini & oyster
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 small head of napa cabbage sliced thinly (remove any loose outer leaves first)
• A couple teaspoons sesame oil
• A few teaspoons sesame seeds

Prepping the hijiki:

1. Put 1/4 cup hijiki in a small bowl, cover with water and soak for about a half an hour
2. Drain, rinse, and add to a saucepan with the two tablespoons soy sauce and 2 teaspoons suger
3. Simmer for about 15 minutes keep hijiki and liquid to add to noodles

The noodles:

1. Boil a large pot of water
2. Add Soba noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes – if foaming up to boil over -add cool water
3. Run cool water into the pot until cook enough to touch – you want to “wash” the noodles
4. Drain and rinse with running water
5. Set aside

Putting it altogether:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large frypan until very hot
2. Add green onions, garlic, and ginger stir fry for about a minute
3. Add carrots and mushrooms and stir-fry for another minute
4. Add salt, soy sauce & mirin. Stir to combine, cover and cook for about a minute
5. Add the soba noodles, cabbage and hijiki with noodles
6. Stir and cook until well combined and hot throughout
7. Remove from heat and stir in hijiki and sesame seeds