Cook the Book: Black Sesame Otsu

Name: Cook the Book: Black Sesame Otsu
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 Tbsps brown rice vinegar; 0 teaspoons cayenne pepper; 340 grams 340 g extra-firm tofu; 1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced; 2 teaspoons mirin; 2 Tbsps natural cane sugar; 4 servings Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon pine nuts; 4 servings Fine-grain sea salt; 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil; 118 milliliters 2 oz / 60 g black sesame seeds; 340 grams 340 g soba noodles; 2 Tbsps shoyu, tamari, or soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sunflower seeds

Cook the Book: Black Sesame Otsu might be just the main course you are searching for. This recipe makes 4 servings with 637 calories, 23g of protein, and 31g of fat each. This recipe covers 23% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 30 minutes. It is a good option if you're following a vegan diet. Head to the store and pick up brown rice vinegar, sesame oil, oz / 60 g sesame seeds, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the olive oil you could follow this main course with the Sauteed Banana, Granolan and Yogurt Parfait as a dessert.

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts and sunflower seeds in a large skillet over medium heat until golden, shaking the pan regularly.

Ingredients you will need

Sunflower Seeds

Pine Nuts

Toast

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add the sesame seeds to the pan and toast for a minute or so. It’s hard to tell when they are toasted; look closely and use your nose.

Ingredients you will need

Sesame Seeds

Toast

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Remove from the heat as soon as you smell a hint of toasted sesame; if you let them go much beyond that, you’ll start smelling burned sesame—not good.

Ingredients you will need

Sesame Seeds

Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush the mixture; the texture should be like black sand. Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Stir in the sugar, shoyu, mirin, sesame oil, brown rice vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust if needed.

Ingredients you will need

Rice Vinegar

Cayenne Pepper

Sesame Oil

Mirin

Shoyu

Sugar

Equipment you will use

Mortar And Pestle

Food Processor

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, add the soba, and cook according to the package instructions until tender.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Pot

Drain, reserving some of the noodle cooking water, and rinse under cold running water.

Ingredients you will need

Pasta

Water

While the noodles are cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut into matchstick shapes. Season the tofu with a pinch of salt, toss with a small amount of oil, and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until the pieces are browned on all sides.

Ingredients you will need

Pasta

Salt

Tofu

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Reserve a heaping tablespoon of the sesame paste, then thin the rest with 1/3 cup / 80 ml of the hot noodle water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, half of the green onions, and the black sesame paste. Toss until well combined.

Ingredients you will need

Green Onions