Sweet and Hot Sauce on Cold Soba Noodles

Serves 6 / The recipe makes more than you’ll need for the noodle dish, but the sauce keeps well in the refrigerator; you’ll be happy to have it on hand for other uses. Serving tips: Brush sauce over fish, chicken, or tofu before broiling or grilling.

Sweet and Hot Sauce (makes about 1 3/4 cups)
2 teaspoons plain sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh chili pepper, such as jalapeño
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 pound low-sodium soba noodles
1 teaspoon plain sesame oil
1/2 cup fresh snow peas, blanched
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into thin pieces, blanched
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4 scallions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. To make sauce, heat sesame oil in a medium saucepan. Add ginger, garlic, and chili pepper and cook for about 2 minutes, until garlic is very light brown. Add vinegar, honey, molasses, orange juice, and soy sauce, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and whisk into sauce. Bring sauce back to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring frequently, 1–2 minutes. Whisk in coconut oil. Remove from heat, cover, and refrigerate.
3. Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until tender but still al dente, 5 minutes. Drain and toss with sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
4. Combine cold noodles with blanched snow peas and carrot, bell pepper, scallions, and water chestnuts. Toss well. Add 1 cup sauce and mix well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

PER SERVING: 399 cal, 11% fat cal, 5g fat, 2g sat fat, 0mg chol, 13g protein, 83g carb, 6g fiber, 623mg sodium