I’m always happy to explain to non-vegans that plant-based eating need not be complicated nor expensive. Here’s a meal that I love going back to when I am pressed for time. It’s super delicious and extremely easy to make, with ingredients that are either easy to find or things that you might already have in your kitchen. I have garnished these noodles with spring onions and nori flakes. If you want, you could skip the peanuts, sugar and oil, and go straight into this recipe with actual peanut butter! Have fun!

15-MINUTE PEANUT SAUCE SOBA WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOM

INGREDIENTS:
1 packet of soba noodles
1 cup roasted peanut chunks
1/4 cup cooking oil
2/3 cup water
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 clove garlic, peeled
A pinch of pepper

METHOD:
Put dehydrated mushrooms in a cooking pot of water and heat to boiling point.

While water is heating up, blend all sauce ingredients until smooth.

Once water reaches boiling point, put in soba noodles to feed two people and cook as per instructions on the packet (normally 7 minutes). Keep the mushrooms in there too.

Remove pot from heat, drain noodles and mushrooms. In the colander, ‘rinse’ noodles under cool running water.

Take out mushrooms and leave aside. In a mixing bowl, stir half the portion of peanut paste into the noodles and add more water to create desired consistency of sauce.

Place noodles and mushrooms on a place, garnish with herbs, spices and veggies of choice and serve immediately.

Remaining portion of sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.