Asian/Latin fusion: Soba Buckwheat Noodles with Broccoli and Lima Beans

My lovely friends who are now spending the winter in Cape Town, almost always serve us yummy vegan or vegetarian and gluten-free dishes when we have dinner at their home.  It is through one of these amazing dinners that I learned about Soba noodles and that there is a gluten-free buckwheat noodle that I can buy and have a scrumptious quick asian/latin fusion meal.  The lima beans (habichuelas), red onions and cilantro give this dish the Latin flavor while the soba noodles keep it in the Asian family.   Eden is a popular brand that makes different Soba noodles and I have found that they carry a 100% Buckwheat soba noodle (which is gluten-free).  Please make sure that if you are looking for a gluten-free noodle that you buy the pure Buckwheat one and not one that is mixed with other wheat.  These 100% Buckwheat noodles are pricier because they are purely Buckwheat, but overall they are healthier and cheaper than ordering a rice noodle dish at a restaurant, which is usually made with white rice noodles and not as nutritionally packed as the ones made with brown rice or Buckwheat.

Buckwheat soba noodle dish–broccoli and lima beans

• 1  8 oz package of 100% Buckwheat soba pasta
• 1/4 thinly sliced mild red onion
• 1 cup of cooked lima beans (you can find these in the frozen section of your local market)
• 3 cups cooked broccoli
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons Tamari (wheat-free substitute for soy sauce and if you like less salt, there is a Tamari available that is low sodium)
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Cook noodles for 8 minutes, drain and run cold water over them so that they stop cooking.  You really don’t want to overcook Soba noodles as they will fall apart.  By the time you rinse the noodles with cold water they will be at room temperature and perfect.  Keep them from sitting in the colander for too long and start working with them right away as otherwise they will stick together into a Buckwheat mess. Gently toss the noodles  first with the sesame oil and then toss with the Tamari,  onions, lima beans, broccoli and cilantro.  By adding the sesame oil first, it will make it easier to toss the other ingredients without breaking the noodles.  Taste and add more sesame oil and Tamari if you want a stronger taste.    You can serve immediately or you can chill and serve later.  Serves 2 as a main meal or 4 as a side.