3
tablespoons
balsamic vinegar
3
tablespoons
sugar -- or more to taste
2 1/2
teaspoons
red pepper oil
8
each
scallions -- mostly white part,
-- thinly sliced
3
tablespoons
cilantro -- chopped
14
ounces
Chinese noodles
=20
The Eggplant & The Vegetable Garnish
1
pound
Japanese eggplant
1
tablespoon
ginger root -- 1 1/2 oz. peeled &
-- minced
1
clove
garlic -- finely chopped
Reserved Marinade, from above
4
ounces
snow peas -- strings removed, cut
-- in narrow strips
1/2
pound
mung bean sprouts
3
tablespoons
sesame seeds
1
each
carrot -- medium size, cut in
-- jullienne
Cilantro leaves -- for garnish
Begin by making the marinade. Combine all the ingredients (except the
noodles) in a bowl, stir them together until the sugar is dissolved. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. While it is heating, gently pull apart the strands of noodles with your fingers, loosening and fluffing them as you do so. Add the noodles to the boiling water without any salt, and give them a quick stir with a fork or a pair of chopsticks. Cook briefly until they are done but not overly soft, a few minutes at most. Immediately pour them into a colander and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking. Shake the colander vigorously to get rid of as much water as possible, and put the noodles into a bowl. Stir the marinade again; then pour half of it over the noodles and toss them with your hands to distribute the marinade. Set the remaining marinade aside. If the noodles aren't to be used for a while, cover them with plastic and refrigerate them. The flavors, as well as the heat in the red pepper oil, will develop as the
noodles sit.
Preheat the oven to 400=B0F. Pierce the eggplants in several places and
bake them until they are soft and their skins have shriveled, about 20
minutes, depending on their size. Turn them over after 10 minutes so they will bake evenly. When the eggplants are done, remove them to a cutting board and slice them in half lengthwise. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skin away from the flesh. Don't worry about any small pieces of skin that are difficult to remove - the flecks of dark purple - brown are pretty. Shred the eggplants, gently tearing them into 1/4 - inch strips. Add the ginger and garlic to the reserved marinade, then the eggplant strips. Turn the pieces over several times to make sure all the surfaces are well coated, and set them aside.
Bring a quart of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt. Blanch the snow peas until they are bright green; then remove them with a strainer
Chinese Noodle Salad w/ Roasted Eggplant CONT’
and rinse them in cool water. Cut them into long, narrow strips and set them aside.
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