A nice little lunch made with Tamayokucha: Green Tea Noodles with Edamame

Recently our tea-related recipes have had me exploring the world of cupcakes and cocktails, and that's been fantastic. But this month it's time to turn back to savory delights, and so I dug up this recipe for Green Tea Noodles with Edamame. In it, soba noodles are actually cooked in green tea to give them a slightly astringent flavor that pairs well with a tangy ginger dressing. I used our Organic Tamayokucha, of course, but I'd be interested in knowing how this recipe would turn out if you used sachets of Organic Gen Mai Cha, imparting more of a toasted-rice flavor. It's something I'll probably try in the future, since this recipe was so easy.

In essence, it's an Asian pasta salad, and it while this recipe allegedly serves two, I'd recommend you grill some chicken breast to have on the side, and perhaps start with light miso soup.

Green Tea Noodles with Edamame

Ingredients:

• 2 cups brewed green tea
• 3 ounces soba noodles
• 1/2 cup shelled and cooked edamame (soy beans)
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions
• sesame seeds for garnish

Ginger dressing ingredients:

• 1 tbsp grated ginger root
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1tbsp mirin (seasoned rice wine)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Dash of pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended.
2. Bring the green tea to boil in a small saucepot (don't do this with the tea in the pot, or you'll essentially "stew" the green tea and change its flavor - not in a good way). Add the soba noodles and cook 3-4 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. You could rinse with cold water (or cold green tea) if you want to eat the noodles cold.
3. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the ginger dressing. Add the edamame and scallions.
4. Divide between two bowls and garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!