A fast, easy weeknight stir-fry – an easy miso ginger marinade is used to coat salmon, roast broccoli and eggplant, then meld it all together with soba noodles and edamame. Jump to Recipe
I have this strange feeling at the moment of simultaneously wanting time to speed up, skip ahead to next weekend already, and wanting it to just slooow right on down. It’s that end of semester atmosphere, where it seems like you are suddenly accelerating out of control down a steep hill, desperately trying to gain some control while also conscious that the only way for it to finish is to get the bottom, preferably asap. I guess you could compare it to the rush before Christmas?
Next Saturday a friend and I pack our bags and head to Cambodia and Vietnam – a couple of weeks of exploring Angkor Wat, experiencing the craziness of Phnom Penh, eating our way through the street food of Saigon, taking part in cooking classes in Hoi An, and market shopping like a local in Hanoi. And relaxing, hopefully. I can’t wait for the lack of actually having things scheduled! But also the fresh herbs and zingy fish sauce-lime dressings, the exposure to a multitude of new Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes, the humidity and heat (extremely over 3°C Melbourne mornings), and just generally adventuring through new cities and meeting new people. Be prepared for many photos, and many new South-East Asian inspired recipes.
The to-do list before then is insane, however. Exams are next week and I’m behind on blog posts, so it is a crazy race of keeping up with medicine, keeping up the blog (and trying to think of, make and photograph another successful, quick recipe!), keeping up with life and sleep, and getting things finalised for the trip. Literally a hamster on a treadmill right now. Today was leaving in the dark for 745 wardrounds, in theatre in the morning, then tutorials, editing these photos in the gaps, driving home again in the dark, and finally typing this up before I try to convince myself to go to swim training…but it is an outdoor pool and dark and cold and that is very much up in the air at this stage. This is why exercising in the morning is easiest for me – no chances to talk myself out of it!
This miso salmon, eggplant & soba noodle stirfry is ideal at the moment. It’s on the table in 20-30 minutes, depending on your speediness, and packed with healthy chunks of seared salmon, roasted broccoli and eggplant. Half way between a teriyaki sauce and a miso dressing, the marinade is thrown together in the jar with soy sauce, mirin, white miso, fresh ginger and sesame oil and used for the salmon, broccoli, eggplant and the final stir-fry stage. Pretty it up with spring onions, edamame and toasted sesame seeds at the end, and you are good to go. And it heats up well as next day leftovers – what more could you ask for?,It’s not as elaborate as the apple-walnut tarts with miso butterscotch, or as WOW as these thai brioche fish burgers with green mango & papaya slaw…but I would be seriously impressed if you pulled the latter off on a busy weeknight, put it that way!
Hopefully next week I will sound slightly more put together, and a little less stressed – but in the meantime, if anyone has any tips for Vietnam and Cambodia – an out-of-the-way restaurant to try, a guide to get in touch with, a hotel we should stay at – let me know.
A fast, easy weeknight stir-fry. The miso marinade can be made ahead and refrigerated, so all you need to do is cook the noodles, roast the broccoli and eggplant then stir-fry it all together in your wok.
- 300 g soba noodles
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 4 tbsp white miso (I used “shirin” miso)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 500 g salmon , skinned and cut into cubes
- 4 japanese eggplants , or 2-3 small italian eggplants
- 1-2 heads broccoli
- 1 bunch spring onions
- 1 cup edamame beans
- 1/4 cup rice wine
- 1/4 cup water
- To serve: extra spring onion , teaspoon of sesame seeds toasted
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Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
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Boil a pot of water for the soba noodles. Cook for 2 minutes less than packet instructions as they will cook more later when you stir fry them, and they turn mushy easily. Rinse and drain thoroughly in cold water. Set aside.
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In a small bowl or jar, mix together the soy sauce, mirin, white miso, sugar, ginger and sesame oil.
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Add 2 tablespoons of the marinade to the salmon chunks and stir to combine. Set aside.
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Cut the eggplant into thin wedges or rounds (rounds is way faster if you are short on time). Toss in 1-2 tablespoons of the marinade and put straight in the oven.
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Cut the broccoli into florets and the stem into 1/2 cm slices and lay on the other baking tray. Drizzle with both with 2-3 tablespoons of the marinade and toss with your fingers to combine. Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes or until crispy edged and cooked through. Check the eggplant - it might be done or might need a further 5 minutes.
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Heat a wok over high heat. Add a drizzle of sesame oil. Cook the salmon in batches, turning for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Remove and set aside on a plate.
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Add another teaspoon of oil to the wok. Add the spring onions and cook for a minute, stirring. Add the edamame beans, rice wine and water, and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
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Add the noodles back into the pan with the remaining marinade (should be about 2 tbsp), and toss to combine with the beans and spring onions. Add the broccoli, eggplant and salmon and toss for a further minute to heat through and combine.
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Serve with extra spring onion and sesame seeds.
i love miso eggplant! well, i love eggplant period, but especially with miso. and have fun in vietnam and cambodia! can’t wait to see how you get inspired, and how that translates in your kitchen.
Thanks so much Heather! Haha I’m an eggplant lover too – it works with almost everything! So excited for the trip now – only two more nights until we leave! x
Girl that salmon on the blue background? Magic.
That grilled eggplant on the side? Beautiful.
You’re killing it! This looks amazing. I love the sesame seeds too. I’d put sesame seeds on EVERYTHING if I could. I hope you love Vietnam and Cambodia and enjoy every (food filled) moment.
Thanks Samantha! You are way too kind. Haha sesame seeds are the best – and they make tahini and halva, so it just gets better! I will definitely be keeping here and instagram updated with those food-filled moments overseas xx
um, this sounds amazing and ticks aaaall of my dinner-time boxes! I love those crispy bits of salmon. My housemate just bought a packet of white miso, and knowing him he will forget it’s there so I think it’s up to me to put it to use! but where to start, here or the miso butterscotch apple tarts?!
have an amazing time – I’m sure you’ll come back with some great ideas for the blog!
That was the win for me too – ticking all those boxes. The key for me for those crispy salmon bits was using a wok so I could make it really hot, and then not turning the salmon too soon, so it had a chance to sit there and crisp up a bit. You definitely have to use that white miso! Oooh if I had to choose, I think the miso butterscotch tarts would win…but I do have a massive sweet tooth haha! xx
This dish sounds amazing and packed with flavor! I’m so jealous your going to Vietnam – I went when I was sixteen and have been dying to go back. It’s such an amazing place.
Thanks Nicole! I am SO excited, have been researching all the street food we should be trying and the best places to eat and can’t wait – hopefully will get a few recipes and lots of photos up here.. Hope you get the chance to go back sometime soon too!
For me, the weekends have to be SUUUUUUUUUPER slow, and Monday through Thursday is pretty much zip-a-dee-do-dah quick! This gives me more free time to explore the city AND to cook, haha! This is such a lovely recipe. I love the Japanese eggplants and salmon combination with the noodles!
That sounds like the ideal week to me – super slow weekends are the BEST. Thanks so much Cassie! x
Hubba FRIGGIN hubba!!! OMG!!
Thanks! x
Wow Claudia, sounds like you have so much going on right now! Hope you find some calm in the middle of that storm. How exciting that you are heading off on your trip soon. The food will be amazing no doubt! Looking forward to seeing your Asian-inspired recipes on the blog. And I love the look of this delicious stir fry too 😀
Hahah it has been a hectic few weeks, but on saturday I leave so incredibly excited now! Thanks so much Lisa xx
This recipe is right up my alley. I’m a pescetarian, I love eggplant and I’m always looking for healthy noodle dishes to satisfy my carb cravings. I’m hoping to visit Vietnam next year. Can’t wait to travel alone and take in all the amazing sites and tasty food.
Oh so glad it fits the bill for you! Haha and healthy noodles are the best way to satisfy those carb cravings (which are constant for me – I am a sucker for pasta and fresh bread..). Vietnam does seem like a great place to travel alone – so many other people and expats over there and it is a very safe country too – hopefully your trip works out for you! I will be posting photos and recommendations up here afterwards as well xx
DELICIOUS!! Salmon and eggplants, some of my favorite ingredients! Hope you are enjoying your time in Cambodia and Vietnam. Can’t wait to see pics 🙂
Thanks Kiran!! Only 2 more sleeps until we leave so I can’t wait – just one more exam to get through! x
What a lovely dish…looks delicious!
Thanks Sabrina! 🙂
I’m continually impressed at how you juggle everything! I can’t wait to benefit from your travels in the form of new recipes but I hope you get a chance to really relax and recover from exams. This bowl looks delicious!
Thanks Megan – I find your battles so inspiring as well. We leave for Cambodia in 2 sleeps and I am incredibly excited, I must admit! Lots of recipes and photos will definitely be finding their way up here while we are away xx
Wow, this looks and sounds amazing, will be trying this one! Good luck for exams and have an amazing trip! Xx
Thanks so much Gabrielle! It is a such a good, quick weeknight meal. We leave on saturday so only 2 more sleeps – so excited!! I’m sure I will end up posting lots of photos up here too 🙂 xx
This was delicious! The Sugar Palm in Cambodia and Cau Go in Vietnam are great places to eat!
Thanks Alice, so good to hear!! I read this and laughed because we actually went to the Sugar Palm last night for dinner – so good, you are right! Will have to note down Cau Go in Vietnam for when we are there next week. Thanks so much! x
Loved it!