Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Charred Greens

This is delicious, whether served hot, cold or at room temperature. It's super-simple to whip together and, as always, extremely versatile and damn tasty.

Feel free to swap in any noodles you have to hand – I like buckwheat because they're great cold and have an extra nuttiness to them, as well as being gluten-free.

As for the veggies, I've used some Brussels sprouts here, which aren’t just for Christmas! They're so good for you, which is why I try to squeeze them in here and there over the winter months. I've also used French beans, but broccoli, kale or sugar snap peas are great alternatives – it’s really up to you.

It's quite possible to make both the dressing and the noodles in advance, so all you need to do when you're ready to eat is stir-fry some veggies and add some fresh herbs. Any leftovers make the perfect packed lunch for the following day.

SERVES:
4

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

For the dressing

250g unsweetened peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

125ml tamari or soy sauce

Juice of 3 limes

2 tbsp hot chilli sauce, such as sriracha

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 small clove garlic, finely grated

Thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated

For the salad

250g buckwheat or other noodles of your choice

1 tbsp sesame oil

300g greens, such as sprouts, green beans, broccoli and/or sugar snap peas

2 tsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

To serve

Fresh herbs, such as coriander, Thai basil and mint, leaves picked

Sesame seeds

4 tbsp roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Lime wedges

Instructions

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions, then drain and rinse well under cold water to stop them sticking together. Add a third of the dressing to the noodles, stir to combine, and set aside.
Heat the sesame oil in a wok or non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add your greens, toss in the sesame seeds, and cook on high for about 2-5 mins, until the veg is lightly charred but still has a good crunch to it.
Add the tamari or soy sauce to the pan and toss again before removing from the heat.
Add two thirds of the greens plus another third of the sauce to the noodles, and toss to combine. Divide between 4 plates, top with the remaining veg, and sprinkle over the herb leaves, some sesame seeds, and the chopped peanuts, if using.
Serve the noodles with lime wedges on the side, and the remaining sauce on the table, in case anyone would like to drizzle over a little more.