Cold soba on a hot summer day

The temperature has finally started cool down here.

Those days of 90+ heat were tough and even though it was cooler this morning, I wasn't in the mood for anything warm/hot for breakfast.

From the bottom going clockwise: Cold soba noodles, dipping sauce, pickled wakame with sesame seeds, iced green tea and cold cooked chicken.

To start, I put 1 portion (you can see below they are already bundled together in 1 serving size bundles) into a pan of boiling water. I turned down the heat to keep the noodles at a slow simmer.

I let them simmer for 10 minutes. And while the noodles simmered I made the pickled wakame.

I soaked 2 Tbsp. of dried wakame in warm water until it reconstituted.  Then I drained the seaweed well and put it in a bowl with 2 Tbsp. of mirin and 1Tbsp. of rice vinegar and a pinch of salt and set it aside.


I found an interesting way to prepare soba here. I drained and rinsed them according to those directions and plated the noodles.


This is my favorite noodle dipping sauce I have found. 

It is a soup base but I found most dipping sauces too concentrated and salty for my taste so I prefer this. I chopped some green onions to add to the dipping liquid.


At this point, I drained the wakame and squeezed out any excess pickling liquid. A sprinkle of sesame seeds on top finished this side dish.

And some iced green tea - 

I made sure to include a side of protein. 

This was a great breakfast and a wonderful way to start my hump-day. 

Time to go to work!

Miso soup with soba

The haven't shut off the power yet (and the guys told me they would give me a heads up before they do) so I have time to get in my lunch post.

I know it is a bit rude to eat while these poor guys are working 3 feet away - but I missed breakfast and I was STARVING.

They shut off the water because instead of replacing the faucets as the management informed me - They are actually redoing all of the pipes in the apartment.

So I had to make lunch without the use of running water.

Miso soup with soba noodles and chicken.

I had the last little bit of the miso soup left, so I threw that into a small sauce pan along with some soba noodles. I let the soup simmer until the noodles were tender (about 7 minutes).

Then I remembered I had this little bit of the stuffed chicken divan left.

I chopped up the chicken and tossed it into the pot.

Ten minutes later I was enjoying a nice steaming bowl by my keyboard.

It was an odd combination but it was quick and filled my empty tummy.

I am typing this while 15 guys are soldering copper pipes, installing a new front door, installing a new bedroom window and a new patio door. 

The workmen just broke for lunch. I had been feeling like a big doofus for hanging out in the apartment while they worked but since they left my front door wide open (no handle or lock on it yet so there is no way for it to stay closed) - I feel pretty smart about hanging around.
  
I am going to go enjoy slurping my noodles in the blissful (if temporary) quiet.

Noodle time

I knew I wouldn't be able to resist this pair for long.

Soba noodles and soba noodle soup base.

 This lunch was quick and easy.

I stir fried some broccoli and threw in one of the bundles of soba (they come bundled in single portions which I love) into a pot of boiling water.

I turned the pot down to simmer and let the noodles cook for 8 - 10 minutes.

When the noodles were done I drained them, added them back into the pot and added 3/4 cup of soba noodle base and let that warm up.


Then the noodles and broth went into a bowl and I topped them with the stir fried brocccoli.

On a roll

I decided to tackle the closet project in short bursts. So, every twenty minutes or so, I would take a break and work on the kitchen.

At this point the kitchen project is much further along. Sigh...

If only I could trick my mind so that it thinks the project I do want to finish is actually a way to procrastinate.

Anyone else have a similar contrary nature? 

I did find a package of Soba noodles in the cupboard - 

Soba noodles dressed with a sprinkle of sesame oil, soy sauce and the last little bit of the peanut dipping sauce.

Steamy!

I added some chopped cabbage while the noodles boiled.

Now it is time to head back to facing the closet...