Jun
04
Kitsune Soba (Vegan)
1 thing that kept on happening since I started this blog: requests for vegan recipes.. I knew this would be a challenge… a world without Toro, Mcdonald’s chicken nuggets, caviar..or dry aged sirloin (cooked medium rare) would be a very depressing one for me! I had to look up “vegan” on wikipedia because I didn’t even know what the rules were. I learned that you can’t even use fish broth..jesus….
But! I do think summertime is the perfect time to be vegan. Contrary to my previous post featuring a nauseating but delicious combination of foie gras and caviar, this recipe is very light, vegan, and perfect for summer. I took inspiration from cold soba noodles that are served with dipping sauce (Soba Tsuyu), but I added vegetables and fried tofu. What makes Soba a ‘Kitsune‘ Soba? The fried tofu. Usually Kitsune Soba is served in a hot broth with several slices of fried tofu.. but since it’s summer why not make it cold and refreshing. The great thing about this recipe is that you hardly have to cook. 90% of this dish comes together through simple assembly.
There are many brands of soba noodles, some packaged as dry noodles and some packaged as fresh noodles. I used store bought fresh soba noodles for this.
Thinly slice some roasted red peppers, scallions, cucumbers, and kimchi.
Run the cucumbers through a mandolin.
I added kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) to this recipe as well, it’s probably the most important food in korean cuisine, it is sold at quite a few japanese supermarkets and obviously you can get them at korean ones. I washed a lot of the excess peppers off of the cabbage so that it doesn’t overpower the dish.
Now my favorite part, the fried tofu..I sliced 2 pieces of tofu and deep fried it in olive oil until it got crisp and golden brown.
The exterior of this fried tofu should have developed a crust that mimics the texture of potato chips.
Cold soba noodles are usually served with Tsuyu, which is the soy sauce broth cooked with mirin and Dashi (stock derived from bonito flakes…bonito flakes come from dried tuna shavings). The fish broth required for this sauce was omitted to keep this recipe vegan.. I thought it tasted delicious without the dashi.. I made the tsuyu by boiling some mirin, sugar, sake, soy sauce, and water together. The dashi would have made it even more delicious though… >=T
The sauces I am using for this dish; Tsuyu, Hot mustard oil (feel free to leave this out as it is very spicy), vinegar, and sesame oil. I thought it would be nice to even use a spicy peanut sauce for it, didn’t make it but of course you can use whatever sauce you like. These double walled oil and vinegar carafes are available here
Prepare all the veggies and fried tofu for the noodles. You want them to have a uniform look, all cut in the same style.
Place the cooked soba noodles in the bowl. I shocked the soba noodles in an ice bath after boiling them to keep it very cold. The veggies were kept in the fridge until I was ready to eat them.
Assemble each vegetable over the noodles.
Now drizzle all the sauces on top of the noodles (Tsuyu, sesame oil, vinegar, and hot mustard oil). Test how it tastes as you go to make sure it’s not too vinegary, oily, or salty.
Mix everything together. It’s like a bowl of noodle salad…..
Soba noodles (cold or hot) are sometimes served with tempura. If you want to keep it fully vegan you should use vegetable tempura. I couldn’t help myself, I made some store bought fried oysters. They come prepped with the batter so all you have to do is deep fry it. They taste incredibly fresh for something pre packaged. I’ve made fresh fried oysters before and these pre packaged ones actually taste better!
Ughh, I don’t read this blog to look at dishes like this!
Don’t give in to those damn vegans! >=T What are they doing making requests of you anyway? After that last recipe, you’d think they’d rather be launching pitchforks and torches in your direction.
Thanks for sharing such a refreshing recipe! I’ll definitely have to try this ^_^
Contrary to the vibe Lhydium has apparently gotten, not all vegans are angry and condemning! I’m vegetarian, but eat vegan about 80% of the time, and I read your blog religiously, meat and all! Would I eat the meat myself? No. But can I appreciate the art and work you do? Absolutely! I really appreciate you being open-minded enough to post this, even though you eat meat yourself. As always, your food looks incredible and I can only imagine that it tastes even better!
well said! I’m an “aspiring vegan” (mostly in the way of food consumption, not all crazy activist, though i admire them to some degree)… and I definitely have been surprised by how meat-eaters often are inherently offended by my having made a different choice about what I eat than they have. I’ve heard all kinds of crazy things about vegans from friends, like “vegans are just bored, so they’re trying to make their lives harder” and all kinds of crazy comments. I’ve just read enough convincing books (Eat to Live about nutrition, Eating Animals about what you’re REALLY eating as well as how the animals were treated and the worldwide effect, etc.) that I can’t help but seek to be vegan. We’ve been vegan on and off for a year and it’s hard. But we’re not trying to be vegan to make others wrong, start fights or anything. And making vegan meals isn’t that different. I mean, who is against including more fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds into your diet?! I don’t understand why it makes some meat-eaters so pissed off.
Actually. I’m highly carnivorous, and while I do enjoy eating my fruits/veggies/nuts, I do get offended and pissed off when someone looks at my food in disgust and asks me ‘How can you eat that?!”
In the same way, however, I know a lot of people that do the same thing to vegans/vegetarians which perpetuates the cycle of “Jeez, you’re gross. how could you possibly eat that?”
I’m happy with what I eat, and I’m glad other people can eat whatever they want too.
I think people should spend more time worrying about their own habits than everyone elses’, and the world would be a better place.
Though, really, okra?
I hate that stuff.
And PETA, I can’t stand PETA.
i always love the food that you make
but more than that
you have the most amazing wares! i love the chemistry aspect of it, it’s just so beautiful
I love this one because it seems really simple and straightforward. Tofu, veggies, and noodles!
Sometimes I wonder, when you are just making food for yourself-not for the blog-do you prefer that it has a really nice aesthetic? Well, I guess anyone would ‘prefer’ it, but…do you go through the trouble to make it look nice, just for yourself?
this reminds me of a dish i used to make years ago called hiyashi chuka (i learned from waitressing in a sushi restaurant actually owned by japanese people & was taught a lot), except i use ramen noodles (so simple right from the package minus the MSG packet) instead of soba. it’s the perfect summer dish because it’s served cold. thanks for inspiring me to try to make it again!
I totally appreciate your cooking this up and posting it! Hope you share more vegan deliciousness in the future, despite the vegan haters.
this looks fantastic. i practically survive off of soba noodles in the summer, and i’ll have to try the ingredients (especially the sauce) that you used!
This looks awesome I can’t wait to try this recipe!!!
i definitely appreciate you making a vegan dish. i’ve been vegan for a few years and i like that you can be respectful enough to step outside of your culinary comfort zone.
Ordinarily I love my meat, but this makes me so hungry right now :0 It looks amazing!
I definitely read this blog to look at dishes like this!
It’s fantastic that you went to such lengths to learn about a lifestyle choice that’s different than yours, and then prepare something that looks just as beautiful as the dishes you prepare with super tasty animal parts.
Great stuff
like kimbimbap, great idea.
Gosh that looks delicious! Being vegan doesn’t look that bad anymore! … But I still can’t live without meat
http://itsthedollhousebaby.blogspot.com/
x
really cool of you to go through everything to made a beautiful vegan dish! shows you care about your readers
this looks really fresh
…and I think it’s great that you post vegan/vegeterian food. Even if I eat meat
I never thought of eating soba this way, although I love soba and have some at least once a week during spring/summertime. Thanks for the inspiration and the wonderful aesthetics as always.
As to the vegan issue, I am far from being vegan but I appreciate having the alternative, if only to open my eyes to other ways of seasoning and enjoying food
thanks for posting this! i am vegan and love your blog (even the non-vegan posts; they inspire me to make vegan friendly versions), and it’s really great that you’re stepping outside of your comfort zone to explore new cuisine. it definitely forces one to be more creative, which is what makes it appealing to me. if you’re interested in more vegan recipes i really recommend:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com/
http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/
http://seitanismymotor.com/
hope you do more posts like this in the future!
I’m not a vegan, but this dish looks absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try the combination of flavors of tsuyu, vinegar, and sesame oil – my favorites. Thank you!
Those are my favorite soba! They are the ones I always get from the k-mart.
This looks so delicious – I love cold noodles in summer, it’s so refreshing. Japanese food products are hard to come by here (other than sushi ingredients) so soba is a rare delicacy for me ♥
About the dashi, there’s always mushroom-based or kelp-based dashi available if a vegan should like to use it. I use kelp dashi most of the time. (but I cheat and buy the pre-packaged one, shh)
I love the arrangement of this dish and the entire post as a whole.. plus, the fact that it’s vegan!
as someone who is vegan and who mainly visits this blog to see the new designs, i really appreciate this post
and i am so glad to see a recipe for a vegan version of tsuyu sauce! thanks a lot for this! 
i have to say this over and over and over again!!! i am always sitting here with my mouth open. those post are the most stylish delicious food posts i have ever seen. you bedazzle me every time again! i have no idea how you do it. but girl, it is a gift, please treasure this amazing gift. i always tell my friends (who are amazing cooks) about your blog, same effect on them: mouth wide open
Thanks for this post!
I havent eaten meet in 14 years and eat vegan 90% of the time and like the other vegan/vegetarians that have already commented I appreciate all your posts but appreciate you did an (almost) animal free post.
You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy a vegetarian or vegan dish. I think most people love food that is vegan or vegetarian by default without realizing it.
Thank you for making a vegan post, especially one that’s so easy! I love the aesthetic of your blog, but it always makes me a little sad that I won’t get to try the food or wear the clothes because of animal products. I’m excited to be able to finally try one of your beautiful recipes.
I always love your beautiful food posts, especially this one, since I can make it. I am mostly vegan with a few egg, cheese and some fish diet options and I love that you went out and beyond your boundries since you are a meat eater! All your photos are exquisite and you are extremely talented and I thank you again for your lovely blog. Kelly
I was about to mention that it reminds me of hiyashi chukka too..
Either way this looks really refreshing! Love your food posts x
i’m a foodie to the very core. i love all variety of meats and seafood. any good foodie can also appreciate a good vegan meal (i adore vegan desserts, and have had some delicious vegan meals before).
i think it’s a wonderful change of pace, and a great display of your creativity in the kitchen.
one thing to point out, however: kimchee often contains shrimp.
I am a vegetarian but I love all of your posts-meat and all! Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely try it. I have never heard of hot mustard oil but I will go to the Asian grocery market and look for it this week. Thanks.
where did you purchase the pre-battered oysters from? i want them!
This looks sooo goooddd. I’m drooling.
Also, whats up with that first person’s comment?? Meh, just brush it off
I’ve always been intrigued by vegan food but would never adapt it as a lifestyle. I love meat and fish too much! But, I love this soba dish, it looks perfect for summer. And those oysters! Would never have guessed they were storebought!
I never knew soba was vegan! This dish looks absolutely delicious, but I’d probably add the tsuyu!
I’m relatively happy about the vegan readership (or the ones commenting). I happen to know some very militant vegetarians and vegans who try and force me (an adamant, opportunistic omnivore and epicurean) to be healthy and eat their way. I love all foods (well, in theory, I may not be particular about durian or cooked finned fish, but hey… I try). If a dish is vegan, then sure! So long as it’s delicious!
A friend and I have had long discussions about veganism and vegetarianism, and I think what’s really hard to realize that there are the respectful Vs and the militants. I know a vegan and a vegetarian who are quite mum about the whole ordeal. They may have a nice discussion about it, but they respect my decision. I find some recipes that can work well for vegans interesting, such as mock sashimi that is grapefruit, avocado, and mint. (It’s equally fascinating as I love food that isn’t what it is–sashimi that’s actually veg and fruit or soup that’s actually a mousse.) Essentially, I’m glad for a reminder that there are vegans and vegetarians that can respect other choices when I’ve come across so many who aren’t.
Great recipe!! **FYI to vegan’s who are going to try this dish, Kimchi is generally not vegan (it usually contains anchovy sauce or other fish derivative). However, vegan kimchi can be found at Whole Foods Market and other health food stores.
Just a quick follow-up to my previous comment and some others here. I think the interest for vegan-friendly posts might be of significance for clothes-related posts as well. Putting aside the whole ethical discussion (about meat/leather/fur vs. vegan-friendly food/garments), I think the interest for cruelty-free fashion is increasing, and I am not sure how fast the market is actually responding to this. This seems to be especially the case with shoes: beside Stella McCartney’s line, there are hardly any really exciting designs in the offers of cruelty-free footwear. The interesting thing is that there are some excellent synthetic materials (faux-leather), that are fully breathable and durable, so the quality doesn’t need to be compromised. In any case, this is just an idea in case you decide to introduce a line of footwear as well – I think having at least some of them cruelty-free (or making a cruelty-free version of some of the models) might be interesting for many potential customers
Actually there are some kimchis that don’t include seafood derivatives.
This . looks. so. delicious.
Yum! Thank-you!
im not vegan myself but im studing to be a Chef… and i love the vegan cousine too!!! thank you for tips….
if everyone was as openminded as some of us the world would be totally different…
hey guys dont be a heaters is bad for your health =)!!!
love <3
Bere
looks delightful and refreshing, but I don’t think it would keep me full for long haha
I also love Korean sweet potato starch glass noodles, great texture!
Roxana
recipeforfashion.com
@Roxana, trust me this will keep you full! Remember there are lots of deep fried tofu in it.
Looks absolutely delicious!
i always read your blog during AM and i always end up ordering mcdonalds in order to fill up my cravings while reading ur food posts! oh well fries will have to do for now..
This looks so good. I’m currently living in Taiwan at the moment and it is so hot. Looking at this photo post was like a tall glass of ice water for my eyes. =) I know what I’m eating for dinner tonight. <3
Looks SO delicious!
Wait,
Kimchi- usually has some kind of salty fish sauce in it doesn’t it? I know my mother always puts 새우젓 in hers!!!!
I think if you make your own kimchi you won’t need to add fish sauce to it, although my local groceries sell vegetarian kimchi without fish sauce in it.
hey luxi, i am just leaving a msg to let you know this isn’t filed under your “vegan” tab for some reason; realized as i came looking for this recipe tonight…cheers
I really like that you are versatile when it comes to posting recipes. I know many non vegans and vegetarians who would delve in this noodle this and I agree with Jamee Lynch’s “not all vegans are angry and condemning” no they are not, there are non vegans or non vego who are angry too, so this is not a lovely stereotypical sight at all.
I was brought up eating meat, but I grew the enjoyment of being part vegan, part vegetarian and a pescetarian once a month. Although, a lot of my dishes are mostly non meat and seafood products.
Having said that, I will definitely try this recipe. I am mildly allergic to wheat and gluten, but 100% allergic to dairy, so this recipe kind of works, using the same recipe but slightly different products.
Thanks for sharing!!
שלום רציתי להמליץ לכם על אתר של מזרונים, מיטה וחצי, חדרי ילדים ונוער וחדרי שינהוהכל במגוון גדול ועיצוב מהודר.