Asian Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 10 ounces Chinese noodles
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 – 3 cups raw bite-sized broccoli florets
• Salt
• 4 ounces mung bean sprouts
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced white and green parts
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch long pieces
• 1/4 large purple cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and slivered
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 Tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1 medium clove of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup canola, rice bran, or vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 4 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Directions

1. Pour 4 quarts of water into a large pot and bring it to a full, lively boil. If you are working with Chinese noodles, skip the salt, because they have already got it; for soba or pasta noodles, stir in a tablespoon of salt.
2. Drop in the noodles and keep them moving with frequent stirs as they cook. Use the package as your guide; Chinese noodles should be ready after 5 minutes. Drain them, rinse under cold water so the cooking stops, and scatter them across a sheet pan to dry in the air.
3. For the broccoli, set a rack for steaming inside a 3 to 4-quart pot, right at the base. Pour in enough water to reach the steamer level, then bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli florets, cover the pot, and steam for 4 minutes. Take the broccoli out, rinse it with cold water to halt the cooking, and put it aside.
4. Transfer the cooked noodles to a large serving bowl. Pour over the soy sauce and toss until every strand is coated, then let the noodles rest and soak it in while you turn to the dressing.
5. In a mini chopper or food processor, combine the ginger, sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground, then pour in the vinegar along with both oils and pulse once more until everything comes together.
6. Pour the dressing over the soy sauce-soaked noodles and toss until they are thoroughly coated. Add the cooked broccoli, sliced green onions, sliced bell pepper, sliced cabbage, shredded carrot, and mung bean sprouts, and toss them in.
7. If you are making this more than a day ahead, dress the noodles with the soy sauce and half of the dressing, and get the vegetables ready. When it is time to serve, combine the noodles with the vegetables and the remaining dressing.