How to make soba noodles with eggplant and basil

Gather your ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the eggplant and the zucchini into 1/4 inch chunks. Toss with some olive oil, sea salt and pepper.

Spread into an even layer on a oiled baking sheet. Place in the oven to roast (about 30 minutes).

Cut the butternut squash into 1/4 inch chunks. Toss with some olive oil, sea salt and pepper.

Spread into an even layer on a oiled baking sheet. Place in the oven to roast. The reason the squash is separated from the eggplant/zucchini mixture is that the cooking time varies.

Cook the soba noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water.

When the soba are done cooking, drain and rinse with cold water. Shake off as much water as possible, and let sit in the colander.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup brown rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Heat on medium, stirring, until the sugar had dissolved.

Turn off the heat and add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 3 pressed garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Remove from stove and let cool.

Thinly slice the red onion.

Pick the basil leaves, and clean thoroughly.

Cut the basil into slivers.

Cut up the tofu into cubes. You can used any sort of baked or pan fried tofu you like. I cheated and used store bought marinated tofu (Wildwood Organic Royal Thai Sprouted Baked Tofu).

When the dressing has cooled, add the zest of 1 lime.

Then, add the juice.

In a large mixing bowl, place the noodles, roasted vegetables, sliced onion, basil, and tofu.

Pour the dressing on top.

Mix everything well, and let sit for 1-2 hours to let the favors meld.

Serve with some extra slivered basil, and pea shoots on top.

This recipe is loosely based on one from Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty. The original calls for mangoes, but I subbed squash since they are in season. Also, instead of frying the eggplant, I roasted it.