Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Quick Daikon Pickles
- 240 ml daikon, peeled and thinly sliced
- 45 ml rice vinegar
- 21 g honey
- 6 g salt
Soba Salad
- 225 g sugar snap peas, trimmed with strings removed
- 255 g soba noodles
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 30 ml sesame oil
- 42 g honey
- 3 g red-pepper flakes
- 700 g chicken, cooked and shredded
- 2 scallion, thinly sliced
- 5 g sesame seeds, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 621 kcal
- Protein
- 47 g
- Carbohydrates
- 70 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 1880 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 142 mg
- Potassium
- 869 mg
- Calcium
- 115 mg
- Iron
- 5.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 134 mg
- Phosphorus
- 500 mg
- Zinc
- 4.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 102 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 45 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 36 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.54 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.48 mg
- Niacin
- 14.6 mg
- Folate
- 101 mcg
- Water
- 261 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Stir the rice vinegar, 21g of honey, and salt in a small bowl until combined. Add the sliced daikon, pressing down to ensure they are submerged, and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil at 100°C (212°F). Cook the snap peas for 1 minute until tender-crisp, then immediately transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Return the water to a boil and add the soba noodles. Cook for 4 to 8 minutes according to the package instructions until tender. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until the noodles are cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, red-pepper flakes, and the remaining 42g of honey. Add the shredded chicken, cooked soba noodles, and snap peas, tossing until every ingredient is evenly coated.
Divide the noodle salad into four bowls. Top with the drained pickled daikon and garnish with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and extra red-pepper flakes.
Chef's Notes
- Soba noodles vary in buckwheat content; 100% buckwheat noodles are more fragile than those mixed with wheat flour.
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time, but the noodles will absorb the dressing over time, so you may need an extra splash of soy sauce before serving.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store noodles and dressing together; pickles are best stored separately to maintain texture.
Reheating: Serve cold or at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Noodles are gummy or sticking together
Cause: Insufficient rinsing after boiling
Fix: Rinse the noodles again under cold water before adding the dressing.
Prevention: Rinse the noodles under cold water while tossing them vigorously with your hands to remove surface starch.
Chicken is dry
Cause: Overcooked chicken or lack of dressing absorption
Fix: Let the assembled salad sit for 10 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the sesame-soy dressing.
Prevention: Use moist leftover rotisserie chicken or poached chicken breasts.
Cultural Context
Soba noodles are a staple in Japanese cuisine, made from buckwheat flour, which gives them their characteristic nutty flavor and chewy texture. This noodle salad, often served chilled, is a refreshing and popular dish, especially during warmer months, embodying the Japanese appreciation for balanced flavors and textures.
