If the husband and I are out having Japanese food, cold soba (buckwheat) noodle is one item we’d not miss out on. Even at home, I like to substitute other noodles with soba whenever possible as it’s really a healthier alternative that helps with weight management as it contains less calories than the standard spaghetti and far more nutrients than any other noodles. Buckwheat noodles boost metabolism, decrease cholesterol, lower blood pressure, are high in fibre & protein and are of low-GI so they fill you up easily and for longer too.
Soba noodles have this wheaty and nutty taste which I thought would go really well with a nutty sauce made from cashew nuts. I got this inspiration after coming across a vegan Hollandaise sauce recipe which I thought went really well with poached eggs. Check out my Poached Egg on Rye Toast with Vegan Hollandaise Sauce Recipe. I didn’t turn the cashews into a creamy butter but rather I just coarsely blended them so there would be a slight crunch from the bits of nuts. And I thought using green lemon really gave that refreshing citrusy flavour so it didn’t get too cloying from eating too much of this thick, nutty sauce. Give it a try and see if you like it 🙂
Chicken Soba with Cashew Nut Sauce Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
200g soba noodles, cooked according to packet instructions
250g chicken fillet, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup raw cashew nuts
1 tsp Dijon mustard
juice of 1 green lemon
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup hot water
salt & freshly cracked black pepper
steamed broccoli as side
vegetable oil for pan-frying
Instructions
1. Season the chicken fillet pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a little vegetable oil in pan and pan-fry the chicken pieces till golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Using a food processor, blend the raw cashew nuts, mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder and paprika into a paste. Add hot water and blend till well combined.
3. Transfer the cashew nut sauce into a large bowl and toss in the soba noodles till thoroughly coated.
4. Serve with the chicken and any vegetable of your choice.