Edamame and Soba Salad with Creamy Miso Dressing

With the year winding down to a close, I finally took stock of the odds and ends languishing in my kitchen cupboard – you know, those last bits of nuts, dried fruits or half opened packets of millet and barley. Usually such ingredients get thrown into a batch of granola or multi-grain fried rice, but when I discovered a bag of dried soy beans (from a failed homemade tofu experiment), I was stumped for a recipe. It then occurred to me that soya beans would be awesome when paired with edamame and a miso dressing. By adding some finely shredded carrots, peppery watercress and black sesame seeds, I conjured up one tasty powerhouse of a salad.

Just remember that dried soy beans take awhile to cook – after soaking them overnight, you still need to boil them for about 3 hours. It’s a good idea, then to make extra to chuck into the freezer. Soy beans can also be roasted and enjoyed on their own with some sea salt or grated cheese. To make this salad more of a meal, I added some fresh buckwheat noodles, but you can also use whole grain rice – it’ll be equally as delicious!

EDAMAME AND SOBA SALAD WITH CREAMY MISO DRESSING

1 cup soy beans, cooked
1 1/2 cup edamame, cooked and shelled
1 small carrot, cut into matchstick strips
2 handfuls watercress, roughly chopped
4 servings soba noodles, cooked
4 tablespoons black sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Miso Dressing:
2 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon mirin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey

1) Make the miso dressing. Using a whisk or blender, combine dressing ingredients until thick and creamy. Taste to adjust seasonings.

2) In a large bowl, toss the soybeans, edamame, carrots, watercress and soba noodles. Gradually add the miso dressing, one heaping tablespoon at a time. Continue tossing until everything is lightly coated. Serve straight from the bowl and top with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 4.