Salads
Chinese noodle salad
Time: 1 hour or so
Servings: 4-6 as a starter
This is another Greens recipe. It’s not as fiddly as it looks, and it’s very, very tasty. You’ll reek of garlic afterwards but, hell, it’s worth it. A good one to take along to a salad buffet.
For the marinade:
- 7 tbsp dark sesame oil (or ½ sesame, ½ olive oil)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 7 tbsp soy sauce
- 2½ tsp salt
- 2-3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 8 spring onions, chopped
For the main bit:
- 1 packet (250g) Chinese noodles
- 500g aubergines
- 1 packet bean sprouts
- A few mangetouts and carrots
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- Grated fresh ginger (1 tbsp?)
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- Pierce the aubergines in several places with a fork and bake in the oven at 200º C for 20–30 minutes, turning halfway through. Leave to cool.
- Mix the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt, spring onions and chopped coriander in a bowl.
- Cook the noodles briefly in boiling water with the bean sprouts, drain and rinse in cold water.
- Add half the marinade to the noodles and bean sprouts and set aside.
- Peel the skin off the aubergines, cut them in half lengthways and tear into long strips. Add to the remaining marinade with the garlic and ginger.
- Cut the carrot into thin diagonal slices and blanch in boiling water with the mangetout peas for 1 – 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water.
- When you’re ready to serve, toss the aubergine with the noodles and half the sesame seeds. Serve with the vegetables and remaining sesame seeds sprinkled on top
