Easy Soba Noodle Salad with seared Sirloin

This salad is so simple and absolutely delicious. It's great if you're in a rush and makes excellent leftovers.

Soba (buckwheat) noodles are a nice alternative to rice or pasta. They are light brown in colour and are delicious hot or cold. I made this salad chilled so I can take it to work for dinner tonight.

Last night I marinated a sirloin steak in soy sauce, hoisin, lime juice, minced garlic and ginger and sambal olek. Put all the ingredients in a plastic bag and add the meat, sealing the bag and smashing it around a bit to tenderize. This can be done up to 2 days before making the salad, to as little as 10 minutes before.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, add a handful of soba noodles (they double in size like pasta, so plan accordingly) to the water. Stir occasionally and drain when they noodles are al dente (Italian for 'to the tooth) which just means they have a bit of a bite to them and are not soggy or soft. Rinse with cold water and drizzle a little roasted sesame oil over the noodles to keep them from sticking together.

As for veggies, use whatever is fresh and available. Today I thinly sliced up some red cabbage, grated carrots, minced cilantro and minced green onions. Mix in with the noodles. For a dressing I used a splash of each soy, rice vinegar, a drizzle of sesame oil and a bit of sugar. Lime juice, hoisin, and chili sauce would all be tasty on this salad.

Sear the meat on both sides and pop into an oven (make sure you're not using a non stick pan) at 350 until it is done, about 6 minutes (ish). Again, it depends on how big the piece of meat is.

An approximate way to test if the meat is done is to use your hand: place your forefinger and thumb together and feel the fleshy mound below your thumb: that is what rare meat should feel like. Middle finger and thumb: Medium rare, fourth finger, medium.

Remove the steak from the pan onto a plate or cutting board and let rest for 1o minutes. Slice against the grain and serve on top of the noodle salad.

Try it and let me know about your favourite additions or variations. It's delicious, you won't be sorry.

Happy cooking!