Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango
This dish will require a decent amount of prep work, but much of it can be done ahead of time (make the dressing a day or two in advance, cook the tofu and cube the mango and have those ready in the fridge). It is well worth the effort - this is certainly one of the most memorable meals I’ve had in ages. Soba noodles are coated in a sweet, spicy, and lime-kissed sauce, then tossed with little cubes of pan-fried tofu, eggplant, chunks of fresh sweet mango, and handfuls of fresh herbs.
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Ingredients
For 4 Serving(s)
soba-noodles-with-eggplant-and-mango
- 1/2 c brown rice vinegar
- 3 T brown sugar
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 clv garlic
- 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 t toasted sesame oil
- 1 lime
- 1/2 c sunflower oil
- 3/4 lb eggplant
- 8 oz soba noodles
- 1 mango
- 1/2 lb tofu
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 2/3 c fresh basil leaves
- 2 1/2 c fresh cilantro
Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango Directions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the brown rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, then stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Set aside to cool, then stir in the lime zest and lime juice.
- Heat the sunflower oil in a large skillet and fry the eggplant (in batches) until deeply golden and tender. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
- Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions until tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing, mango, tofu, eggplant, sliced onion, and the herbs. Toss well to combine, and serve immediately. (Or wait to add the herbs until just before serving.)