Soba Noodles, Mushroom & Tatsoi with Sweet-Sour Cucumber

Directions

To make the sweet-sour cucumber:

Add cucumber into a medium bowl. Add the garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, chili pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Mix until evenly coated and well combined. Season to taste with salt.

Cover with a plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.

To sauté the mushrooms and veggies:

In a large saucepan or dutch-oven, add the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add ginger and garlic, stirring constantly, and cook for about 40 seconds until very fragrant. Add the onions, and cook until soft and browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until most of the liquid has been evaporated and browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the carrots, green bell pepper, banana pepper or jalapeno pepper and red chili pepper or dried flakes, stirring often, and cook for about 2 minutes until the vegetables start to become soft.

Pour the broth into the pot, add the miso paste, Korean hot chili paste to taste and oyster sauce if using, and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and stir to make sure that noodles are in the broth.

Cook the noodles for about 5 minutes or desired consistency. Stir in the tatsoi or spinach, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the leaves are all wilted.

Remove the pot from the heat, and let cool for a few minutes. Divide into serving bowls and top with sweet-sour cucumber. Serve.