Soba noodles with eggplant and mango

This is an Asian-inspired noodle dish made in a contemporary style. It is getting hot in Delhi, so I am making the sudden transition to cooler foods, lighter, more aromatic and cooling. The intense heat stifles the desire to cook and spend time in front of a hot flame, so my dishes are getting simpler.

This is a cold dish; the noodles are starchy yet light. The dressing is tart-sweet and has a pop of heat. The roasted eggplant adds a lovely earthiness, and the mango fruit nuances. I enjoy this as a main course for lunch, light and flavourful. The original recipe did not include glazing the eggplant with soy sauce. I added it as an extra, bringing an "umami" to them; the soy sauce picks up the dish subtly.

This cookbook was the first one in my Ottolenghi collection; I now have all the others. It brought beautiful flavours to my table and opened my mind to great recipes. Most of the recipes are simple, but each dish is fabulous. I have cooked more than half the recipes from this cookbook. I do need to post more often from here.

For more fabulous recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

1/2 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

Salt, to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red chilli, minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Zest and juice of one lime

For the eggplant:

1 large eggplant, cubed

A generous drizzle of olive oil

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon Kikkoman soy sauce

For the noodles

10 oz. soba noodles

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 mangoes, skinned and peeled

1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, julienned

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Method:

Start by making the dressing: Heat the vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely. Add the garlic, chillies, and sesame oil. lime zest and lime juice, and mix well. Taste for tartness and sweetness, and adjust so you have a bold dressing that pops with spice and tartness. Allow to sit for one hour for the flavours to come together.

Next, make the noodles: Cook the soba noodles according to the packet instructions, minus 1 minute for al dante. Drain and cool in a colander by running water over it until it is no longer hot. Any heat will keep the noodles cooking and make them mushy. Toss with olive oil and set aside.

To make the eggplant: Heat the oven to 375°F.

Add the cubes to a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper and soy sauce. Layer onto a lined baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft. Remove and cool completely. Set aside.

To assemble the salad: Add the eggplant, mangoes, basil, cilantro, onions, and dressing to the noodles, then toss well. Turn into a serving bowl or platter. Garnish with additional herbs.