Cold vegetable and noodle salad with ponzu dressing

Discover the refreshing flavors of a cold vegetable and noodle salad with zesty ponzu dressing, a perfect blend of crispness and tanginess.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari (I used a reduced sodium version)
• 1/4 cup bonito
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet sake)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• one 2-inch piece kombu
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 230g udon noodles
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon yellow miso
• 340g extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 ears corn
• 1 cup cooked edamame
• 1 small head Savoy cabbage, cut into small ribbons, rinsed, and dried
• 1 cucumber, roughly chopped
• 3 scallions, green parts only, chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, or more to taste
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Basil and mint, torn, for serving

Instructions:

1. For the ponzu:
2. Combine all the ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan and stir to mix evenly.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and let it sit for 30 minutes.
4. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the ponzu into a small bowl. Let it cool completely.
5. For the noodle salad:
6. Prepare the noodles following the package instructions, remember to rinse thoroughly under cold running water once done. Lay the noodles out on a clean cloth to air dry, then transfer to a bowl with the toasted sesame oil and toss gently to coat. This will prevent the noodles from sticking together. Chill in the fridge.
7. Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a small bowl, combine the miso with 4 tablespoons of the ponzu. Whisk until the miso is well mixed and most clumps are gone (some are fine).
8. Place the cubed tofu in a medium bowl and pour 3 tablespoons of the ponzu and miso mix over it, stirring to ensure the tofu is evenly covered.
9. While the tofu is marinating, remove the kernels from the corn cobs, trying to get as much corn as possible. Including some corn juice is alright. Toss the corn in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of ponzu-miso dressing.
10. Arrange the tofu on a baking sheet and the corn on another. Bake for around 15 minutes, giving them a stir after 10 minutes, until the tofu is crispy and golden and the corn is cooked and slightly browned. For a more charred corn, bake a bit longer. Allow the tofu and corn to cool completely on the baking sheets.
11. In a large serving bowl, combine the noodles, tofu, corn, edamame, cabbage, and cucumber. Pour in the remaining ponzu—keep a little extra if you want to add more dressing at the table— and toss to mix everything well. Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve with lime wedges and torn herbs.

Summary:

• Calories: 2045 kcal
• Fat: 46 g
• Protein: 119 g
• Carbs: 308 g
• Potassium: 4586 mg
• Magnesium: 763 mg