Chilled peanut noodles with caramelised aubergine

They say never do the food shop hungry. I’ve now realised writing a food newsletter with a rumbling stomach has the same problem.

Everything sounds like the best thing you’ve ever eaten. Which is maybe why I’m struggling to be normal about cold noodles.

Cold, refreshing, slurpy, silky. Gah! The glossy, slippery sauce I’m salivating over as I write this, clinging to nutty soba noodles. That combination of cool and comforting that just feels completely right when it’s too hot to cook, too hot to think about anything other than cold noodles.

It’s a recipe I’ve been taking in different directions. Sometimes more miso-y, more tahini-y, others more coconutty, or more peanut buttery. The latter is the one I’ve been leaning towards recently; a peanut sauce blended with silken tofu for a smooth, neutral base. I hope I haven’t lost you at silken tofu! It isn’t there to taste of tofu, it’s there to give the sauce a luscious, creamy texture for the punchier flavours to bounce off. Peanut butter, fresh ginger, zingy lime and soy sauce do the rest. Once blended, the sauce can sit in the fridge while you do the rest. The only other thing to remember is the noodles need to be properly cold - rinsed under the tap until they lose all their heat, then tossed through that silky sauce until every strand is coated.

Everything is generously drizzled with a crispy, crackly, crunchy chilli oil for the perfect balance of creamy, salty, nutty, zingy, spicy deliciousness.

It is a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm for something as ordinary as a bowl of noodles. But it’s the coldness that feels like a revelation. Maybe it’s the heat getting to me. But if you’re also slightly melted and craving anything cold, slippery and saucy, I think you’ll probably understand, and very much like these too.

The sauce is built around silken tofu - less for the flavour, but absolutely for the texture. Blended, it becomes creamy and glossy with a very mild taste, leaving the rich peanut butter, fresh ginger, lime and soy sauce to bring the punch. It’s the coldness that makes this work - chill the sauce and rinse the noodles until they’re properly cold to give them that silky, slippery texture. I love nutty soba noodles here, but any noodles will work. Finish with sticky caramelised aubergine, or swap in a crunchy green veg like tenderstem broccoli or sugar snap peas. Add a jammy boiled egg or shredded roast chicken if you fancy taking it a little further.

Feeds 2 | Takes 25 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed

1 medium aubergine, cut into 2cm thick cubes

170g soba noodles (usually 2 bundles)

1 tsp sesame oil

For the sauce

150g silken tofu (about 1/2 a block)

2 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy, smooth, regular, dark roast - any work fine)

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp white miso paste (optional - for extra umami-ness & sweetness)

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1/2 small garlic clove, finely grated

Juice of 1/2 lime, plus extra wedges to taste

To serve

Crispy chilli oil

Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Sesame seeds

Roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Optional extras

Pickled ginger

Kimchi

Spring onions, green bits roughly chopped

Leftover roast chicken or a 6 1/2-minute boiled egg

Method

1. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the aubergine with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelised. Add a splash of water, cover with a lid and steam for 1-2 minutes, just until the aubergine is soft and tender in the centre. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add the silken tofu, peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and miso paste (if using) to a blender (or use a stick blender) and blitz until completely smooth. The sauce should have a pourable consistency, similar to double cream. If it looks too thick, gradually loosen with a splash of water. Taste and adjust with more lime juice for brightness or a splash more soy sauce or miso for saltiness. Pop the sauce in the fridge to keep cold while the noodles cook.

3. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain the noodles then rinse them thoroughly under cold water until completely cold.

4. Divide the noodles between two bowls and drizzle with a little sesame oil. Scatter over the sticky aubergine, then pour over the peanut sauce. Give everything a gentle mix so that the noodles are nicely coated. Finish with crispy chilli oil, sesame seeds, some crushed peanuts and fresh coriander, plus any other toppings like kimchi, pickled ginger or finely sliced spring onions.

A note for colder months: While yes, this is a cracker of a recipe on a hot day, it works just as well in winter. Simply warm the sauce gently in a saucepan after blending then toss the freshly drained noodles straight through it while they’re still warm. Finish with the aubergine and your favourite toppings.