Peanut Soba Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup carrots julienned
• 0.8 cup creamy peanut butter 
• 1 tablespoon ginger fresh minced
• 2 tablespoons garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons honey 
• 6 servings kosher salt 
• 6 servings kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper black
• 0.3 cup soya sauce low-sodium
• 0.5 cup roasted peanuts chopped
• 1 cup scallions sliced
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 
• 0.5 cup sesame oil toasted
• 6 servings sesame oil for drizzling over noodles
• 1 pound soba noodles white
• 2 tablespoons sriracha 

Equipment

• frying pan
• mixing bowl
• pot
• blender

Directions

1. For the soba noodle salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the soba noodles until just tender according to package directions, 6 to 7 minutes. Reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain and run the noodles under cool water to stop cooking and ensure they stay firm.
2. Drizzle with a little sesame oil and toss so they don't stick together. Set aside.
3. Place the sesame oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and lightly saute (take care to not overheat as the sesame oil burns easily). You just want to gently warm and infuse the oil to cook the garlic and ginger, about 2 minutes.
5. Add to a blender with the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, Sriracha and reserved soba cooking water (hot). Blend until completely smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Mix together the carrots and scallions with the noodles in a large mixing bowl. Dress with the peanut dressing then serve garnished with the chopped roasted peanuts.