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Chinese Noodle Salad w/ Roasted Eggplant

A home-style Chinese Noodle Salad w/ Roasted Eggplant * made with The Noodles & The Marinade, Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Sugar, and Red Pepper Oil. Serves 6. Save it, add the ingredients to your shopping list, and cook it tonight.

Ingredients

• The Noodles Amp The Marinade
• 7 tbsp
• 3 tbsp
• 3 tbsp
• 2 1/2 tsp
• 8
• 3 tbsp
• 14 oz
• 1 lb
• 1 tbsp
• 1 clove
• 4 oz
• 1/2 lb
• 3 tbsp
• 1

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Begin by making the marinade.

2. 2

   Combine all the ingredients (except the noodl= es) in a bowl, stir them together until the sugar is dissolved.

3. 3

   Next, bring= a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles.

4. 4

   While it is heating, gentl= y pull apart the strands of no odles with your fingers, loosening and fluffing them as you do so.

5. 5

   Add the = noodles to the boiling water without any salt, and give them a quick stir w= ith a fork or a pair of chopsticks.

6. 6

   Cook briefly until they are done but no= t overly soft, a few minutes a t most.

7. 7

   Immediately pour them into a colander and rinse them in cold water

8. 8

   Stir the marinade again; then pour half of it over the noodles and toss the= m with your hands to distribute the marinade.

9. 9

   Set the remaining marinade as= ide.

10. 10

    If the noodles aren't to be used for a while, cover them with plastic

11. 11

    = and refrigerate them. The flav ors, as well as the heat in the red pepper oil, will develop as the noodles= sit.

12. 12

    Preheat the oven to 400=B0F.

13. 13

    , depending on their size.

14. 14

    When the eggplants are done, remove them to a cutting board and slice them in half lengthwise.

15. 15

    Wh= en they are cool enough to handle, peel the skin away from the flesh.

16. 16

    Don't= worry about any small pieces of skin that are difficult to remove - the fl= ecks of dark purple - brown ar e pretty.

17. 17

    Shred the eggplants, gently tearing them into 1/4 - inch strips.

18. 18

    Add the ginger and garlic to the reserved marinade, then the eggplant strip= s.

19. 19

    Bring a quart of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt.

20. 20

    Blanch the snow p= eas until they are bright green; then remove them with a strainer and rinse= them in cool water.

21. 21

    Cut them into long, narrow strips and set them aside.

22. 22

    Next, put the sprouts in the w ater and cook them for about 30 seconds.

23. 23

    Pour them into a colander, rinse t= hem with cold water, and lay them on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

24. 24

    Roast the sesame seeds in a pan until they are lightly colored and smell to= asty.

25. 25

    If the noodles have been refrigerated, allow them to come to room temperatu= re; then toss them with the eggplant strips and half the sesame seeds.

26. 26

    = can toss the noodles and veget ables together to thoroughly mingle the different colors, textures, and tas= tes.

27. 27

    = menu, and they are.

28. 28

    Variations: Instead of sesame seeds, use roasted peanuts or cashew nuts.

29. 29

    Bl= ack sesame seeds can also be mixed with the white.

30. 30

    In spring, blanched aspa= ragus tips can be used in place of the eggplants, and long red or white rad= ishes, thinly sliced, then sli vered, can be included among the garnishes.