Butternut Squash and Soba Noodles
Put on a costume and pull out the pots and pans! This black on orange meal is perfect for Halloween. You’ll love this combination of vegetables and noodles, for flavor, texture—not to mention the seasonal colors.
Servings: 6 servings.
Ingredients
- ½ cup arame sea vegetable (see note)
- ½ cup black or French green lentils (see note)
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt , as needed
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
- 4 cups diced butternut squash, (3/4-inch) (1 medium)
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
- 8 ounces buckwheat soba noodles
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds , optional
Instructions
- Place the arame in a bowl and add water to cover. Let it soak 5 minutes to soften. Rinse and put in a small saucepan with the first tablespoon of tamari and about ½ cup of water. Cook on medium heat, about 10 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the lentils: Rinse, checking them over for little rocks masquerading as lentils. Put in a pot with water, bay leaf and the ¼ teaspoon of salt. The water should cover the lentils 2 inches. Simmer until tender, 20 minutes or so, until the lentils are tender to the bite—but not too soft. You want them to have some texture. Drain. Season with the first tablespoon of olive oil, some salt, and a generous grind of black pepper.
- Chop the green and white parts of the onions—keeping them separate.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a wok or large heavy-bottomed skillet. And the white part of the onion, the garlic, and the ginger. Cook and stir about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the butternut squash and the vegetable broth. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash is just tender, adding more water if needed.
- While the squash is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba noodles. Cook as directed on the package, until tender to the bite. Drain. Immediately place in a warm bowl, tossing with the sesame oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of tamari.
- Gently toss the noodles with the reserved arame, the lentils and the squash. Season with more ground pepper and tamari, to taste.
- Garnish with the chopped green onion and sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Look for arame at natural food stores, Asian food stores, or online.
- French green lentils are easier to find, though black lentils add to the spook factor.
- Soba noodles usually contain wheat flour. If you can't eat gluten, Eden Foods makes a 100% buckwheat pasta.