Noodles with Snow Pea Greens
Submitted by Marge 1
Soba noodles with snow pea greens and shiitake mushrooms in a shallot-chili-soy-rice wine sauce. An oil-free Japanese-style noodle bowl with deep umami and tender seasonal greens.
YIELD
3 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minSnow pea greens (also called pea tendrils or dou miao) are one of the great unsung Asian vegetables. Delicate, bright green, with the sweet pea flavor of the pod compressed into leaves and curling tendrils, they cook in minutes and make even a simple noodle bowl feel elegant.
This recipe’s oil-free cooking method is its best trick. Instead of oil, rice wine gets added to the hot pan to keep the aromatics from sticking. The alcohol cooks off, leaving the flavor behind, and the shallots and mushrooms brown in their own rendered moisture. The result is a light, clean dish that still tastes deeply savory.
Shiitake mushrooms are the heart of the flavor. When cooked properly, they give up their own water and concentrate into chewy, meaty bites full of glutamates. Keep cooking until the pan dries out, which is when the mushrooms turn from soft to concentrated.
Toasting the chilies dry in the pan first is what pulls out their smoky heat. Raw chilies tossed in later taste harsh; toasted ones add warmth without bite.
Soba noodles are the right choice for this preparation. Their buckwheat flavor adds earthy depth, and they absorb sauce better than wheat noodles. Cook them just until tender, then toss with the vegetables while still hot.
Kitchen Tips
- Use fresh shiitake, not dried. Dried shiitake rehydrated has different texture and requires different cooking; fresh is what this recipe needs.
- Rinse soba noodles with cold water after draining to remove surface starch. Unrinsed soba goes gummy and clumps; rinsed soba stays springy.
- Taste and adjust soy sauce and vinegar at the end. Different soy brands have different salt levels; build flavor gradually rather than dumping it all at once.
- Save some chopped raw scallions for garnish on top. Raw scallions add fresh color and onion bite that cooked scallions lose.
Variations
- Substitute pea sprouts or baby spinach when snow pea greens aren’t available.
- Add a tablespoon of sesame oil at the end for a richer, more toasted flavor.
- Top with a soft-boiled or poached egg for a heartier one-bowl meal.
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly steam pea greens -- crisp, but cooked.
Chop chilies, shallots and scallons.
Slice shiitake thinly.
Heat large non-stick skillet.
Roast chilies for a minute, then add about ¼ cup rice wine.
Add shallots and cook until they just start to darken (about 4 minutes).
Add more wine if it starts to stick.
With wine cooked off, add shiitake.
They should give up their own water.
Cook another 3 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are fully cooked and pan is drying out.
Add soy sauce, vinegar, and scallions. Cook for a minute and then turn off burner and set aside.
Water for noodles should be boiling, add noodles and cook until done, about 5 minutes usually.
Toss noodles, pea greens and mushrooms.
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