Egg Noodles with Enoki Mushroom Salad with Japanese Tahini Dressing

Feeling like a little Asian feast but sometimes that Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese take away drenches ALL their food in too much soy sauce, oil and other fried goods? Yeah, I feel you! Asian food, when done well, can be so refreshing, a unique flavour experience and transitioning one into a different cultural, sensual world. SO how can you simulate all those Asian cravings without feeling flooded with heavy fried food, dishes over powered by the extreme saltiness of soy sauce and over cooked veggies that pretty much don’t exist anymore… try this light and fresh egg noodle and crispy enoki mushroom salad with a little special sauce that gives the most finger licking creaminess without a single drop of cream.

I won’t do too much rambling here cause, well there isn’t much to say. I created this recipe for the pure fact of having this innate desire and need for the almost additive flavours in Asian food. But, summer is here and that summer bod does not agree with fried EVERYTHING nor do you really craving dishes that coated in a thick heavy sauces. Don’t get me wrong, these sauces are the best, but the best for winter warmers and to comfort the soul during those bitter months.

What I look for in a summer Asian salad and you could say, “the must haves” are;

• saltiness

• freshness

• veggies (of course)

• ooooodles of noodles

Really what mades this dish unique is the Japanese style sauce that gives the creamy and nuttiness without adding cream or nuts. The main ingredients - tahini. Ok, we are technically mixing cuisine ingredients but tahini can be used in many different cultures for this exact reason - creaminess without cream! I tell you, it’s not as bad as you may think. It’s delicious actually hehe.

So here you have it. All those elements. A whole lot of flavour. An A++++ for Asian style and taste. Light on the belly. Summer approved.

Egg Noodles and Enoki Mushroom Salad

Ingredients 

• 200 grams fresh egg noodles

• 1 large chilli, seeds removed and sliced thinly length ways 

• 1 Handful coriander, roughly torn

• 1 Handful thai mint, roughly 

• 100 grams enoki mushrooms

• 1 tbsp canola oil

• Poached chicken, see poached chicken recipe

Japanese Style Dressing

• 1 tbsp tahini paste

• 1 tbsp water

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise

Method

Cook noodles according to package. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing first - in a small bowl, mix together the tahini and water until tahini paste is incorporated. Add the remaining ingredients, mixing well until smooth and a thick liquid. 

Drain noodles and place into an ice bath (several ice cubes in a bowl of water). This helps to shock the noodles and stop cooking. In a small pan, heat one teaspoon of olive oil and add the enoki mushrooms. Cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes, and then flip, cooking for a further minute. Remove and leave too cool.

Assemble the salad by placing the noodles on a serving platter and arrange chilli, coriander, mint and poached chicken over. Place the enoki mushrooms in the centre. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy.