Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Carrot-Ginger Dressing, Soba Noodles

Ingredients

200g soba noodles 

200g purple sprouting broccoli 

2 spring onion, finely sliced

2 carrots, peeled and shredded 

Small handful of coriander, leaves picked

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

For the dressing:

2 shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled 

A thumb of fresh ginger, peeled

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 green chilli

2 tsp fish sauce, soy sauce or salt

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp white miso

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 limes, juiced 

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Recipe

This deliciously fragrant dressing with miso, fish sauce, ginger and garlic gets its beautiful colour from blitzing raw carrots into the rest of the ingredients. It makes a satisfying and ludicrously healthy quick-fix lunch for when you are feeling low on vitamins. For added smokiness and punch pop the broccoli onto the char-grill before dressing.

Add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor and whiz until smooth.  Add 2 tbsp cold water to thin the dressing out to the consistency of double cream.

Cook the soba noodles as per packet instructions, remove from the boiling water with tongs and plunge into ice cold water.  Once the noodle water is simmering again add the broccoli to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.

In a large bowl mix the noodles, broccoli and dressing, toss together before adding the carrot, spring onion and a final sprinkle of sesame seeds.  Taste and add a squeeze more lime if needed, or a drizzle of sesame oil.