Yotam Ottolenghi is a chef, restauranteur and multi award and James Beard awarding winning cook book author. When you come across one of his recipes you can surely learn something and or taste something incredible. I came across Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for Soba Noodles with Ginger Broth and Crunchy Ginger. I read the recipe and I thought that sounds really good but don’t feel like soup or noodles today (It’s really toasty hot in Phoenix). I figured out how to do his recipe as a vegetable. So that is what this is…..and it came out really delicious! portion size is difficult to judge. I used one medium to small cabbage. For me that is around four side servings.

Ingredients for around 4 side servings

12 Tablespoons olive oil (split into 8 and 4 Tablespoons)

1 Tablespoon red chili flakes

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

60 grams peeled and grated ginger (around 6 Tablespoons)

2 shallots -peeled and fine chopped

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds

1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cabbage (I used a medium/small one) Cut into 1 1/2-2inch pieces

1 heaping Tablespoon vegetable soup base

1 lime – just the fresh squeezed juice

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

2 Tablespoons reserved chili oil

Directions

Make the chili oil. – Add 8 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Place the red chili flakes and the paprika in a small heatproof bowl. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the oil to the small heatproof bowl. Set this to the side to let the flavors infuse. (2 Tablespoons need to be reserved for making the cabbage)

Set oven to 450 degrees F.

Make the cabbage (or if you are taking your time it might be better for you to do the ginger crisp next so you aren’t doing two things at once). – In a large mixing bowl combine the soup base, lime juice, soy sauce, granulated garlic, powdered ginger and reserved chili oil. Mix well. Add the cabbage and mix well. Spread out on a sheet pan and roast in the oven till slightly charred. (ovens do differ but in my oven this took around 22 minutes. Remove from oven when done. Use a slotted spoon so the cabbage is dryer.

Make the ginger crisp. – Add 4 Tablespoons oil to the same skillet that you just used. Heat on medium high. Once hot turn the heat down to medium. Add the ginger and the shallots. Stir often till nicely browned and starting to crisp (10-15 minutes). Add the panko, sesame seeds, and salt. Cook around 6 minutes more till nicely toasted. Transfer to a bowl and set to the side.

Combine and serve. Cabbage gets topped with ginger crisp. Sprinkle with chili oil as desired.

ENJOY!

A Special THANKS to Yotam Ottolenghi for sharing his Forking Amazing recipe for Soba Noodles with Ginger Broth and Crunchy Ginger so I could come up with what I made.