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There are ingredients that I always keep in stock in my kitchen; they are my daikoubutsu (favorite foods). Without them I feel like I have no fall-back option when sipping on sake or wine. Two of these ingredients are avocado and nuts. I regularly incorporate both into sauces, dips, and salads. They are really handy when I want to add more volume, umami, and texture to any meal.

This summer, I've been making a lot of soba. I usually just have zaru soba. It's a simple classic, but it leaves me really hungry an hour later. So I decided to experiment by combining my favorite ingredients with soba, creating a salad that's easy to make with ingredients that are readily available at any grocery store. I call this the Avocado Walnut Soba Salad.

Avocado Walnut Soba Salad


Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch of soba
1/2 avocado
3 tbsp walnuts
1/2 cup soba tsuyu
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp wasabi
3 shiso leaves (optional)

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METHOD

1. Boil soba noodles according to the instructions on the package.

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2. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts. I love my spice toaster.

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3. Chop the walnuts.

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4. Peel and chop avocados into bite-sized pieces.

5. Combine walnuts, avocado, sesame oil, soba tsuyu, and wasabi into a bowl and let sit for a few minutes.

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6. When the noodles are done boiling, strain and immediately put the noodles in an ice bath for at least 5 minutes.

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7. Meanwhile, chop the shiso leaves.

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8. Combine the tsuyu mixture from the bowl with the soba in a mixing bowl. Coat the noodles well.

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9. Plate the noodles and garnish with shiso leaves.

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For many reasons, this year has been the Year of "Me." It's the year of the monkey and it's the first year in as long as I can remember that I've asked myself, "What do I really want?" Combining all of my daikoubutsu into this dish is one of several things that answers this question as I continue living in the "Year of Me."

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