Warm Glass Noodles with Edamame and Sesame Seeds

Could it get any greener ?



You have to be a fan of noodles and edamame to get into this dish, and enjoy a fresh and citrus-y lime and ginger dressing with mint and cilantro finishes ... I loved it! SB? Not so much ... oh well. That what keeps our life interesting.

This is another recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook called Plenty. I've enjoyed exploring the different recipes, but they are sometimes too adventurous for SB, so I've had to be a bit more hesitant to jump in on a regular basis with YO's vegetarian dishes. This dish, though, fits all the requirements for what I am putting in my system these days ... gluten-free rice noodles, beans, less butter and more heart healthy oils, more herbs for flavouring, and less meat.

The two issues that I did have with the recipe are ... tamarind paste. The sauce called for two teaspoons of the stuff and I found it really really gooey and resistant to breaking up, hence we came across small chunks of it in several bites and boy, ... super tangy ! The other was that the sauce was so light that it disappeared. I will admit to drizzling a bit of dark sesame oil over the finished noodles when I topped them with the herbs, toasted sesame seeds, and the rest of the edamame.

This recipe makes a huge platter of noodles, so plan accordingly. There was far too much for us and that's even planning for leftover noodles for next day lunch and snacks. The next time I make this I will make half the recipe.

So ... a relatively healthy carbohydrate fix that is as green and light as it gets! Here you go!

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Warm Glass Noodles with Edamame

Serve 6

Sauce Ingredients:

2 tbs. grated ginger root

Juice of 4 limes

3 tbsp. peanut oil

2 tbsp. sugar ( I used raw sugar)

2 tsp. tamarind paste

1 tsp tamari

1 tsp. Kosher salt

Noodles and Beans Ingredients:

7 oz. package of cellophane noodles

2 tbsp. canola oil (I used peanut oil)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 ½ c. cooked edamame beans

3 scallions, whites and greens cut into thin coins

1 fresh red chile, small dice (you decide how hot you want things)

3 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro plus some leaves for garnish

3 tbsp. fresh chopped mint plus a few leaves for garnish

3 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted (I like using both white and black seeds for interest)

Sesame oil for drizzling (my addition to the dish)

Making the Dish:

1. Have a large pan of hot water ready for softening the noodle. Drop the noodles into the hot water and stir them every couple minutes, testing until theyare the perfect al dente.
2. Steam the edamame until it is done, drain and bath in cool water to stop the cooking. Set the beans aside.
3. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, whisking hard to break up the tamarind paste. Set aside.
4. Heat the wok over medium high heat. Add the canola (or peanut) oil and the garlic and stir fry until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add the chili pepper and cook for just a minute.
5. Turn the heat off under the wok and add the sauce, the noodles, and about ⅔ of the drained edamame beans. Toss gently to combine and coat everything with the sauce.
6. Return to the stove and bring the heat up under the pan, cover for just a few minutes to get things all warm
7. Turn the noodles and edamame onto a pretty platter, sprinkle the rest of the edamame over top with the sesame seeds.
8. Drizzle a bit of sesame oil over all, garnish with more fresh mint and cilantro and serve in nice big noodle bowls.

NOTE: Do test the noodles frequently so that they don’t become too soft … when they turn soft they turn to mush.

I am posting this to the I Heart Cooking Club's weekly homage to Yotam Ottolenghi ... this recipe fulfills last week's "Go Green" them AND this week's "Nuts and Seeds" them  ... go see what others are makiung!