Black Garlic, Crunchy Vegetable and Sesame Noodle Salad

Ingredients

For the salad

• 3 peeled black garlic cloves – finely sliced into little slivers
• 100g egg noodles
• 1 medium carrot – cut into small batons
• Half a cucumber – cut into small batons
• 2 spring onions – finely sliced on the diagonal
• 50g baby corn – cut lengthways and in half again
• 50g mange tout
• 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander – chopped
• 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing

• 1 tablespoon of mild oil
• 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
• 4 teaspoons of dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A few slivers of mild fresh red chilli (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the egg noodles and rinse under cold water.  Drain thoroughly
2. Plunge the mange tout and the baby corn into a pan of boiling water.  Boil for 1 –2 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. Put all the salad ingredients (with the exception of the sesame seeds) into a large salad bowl.
4. Distribute the little slivers of black garlic evenly through the salad.
5. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
6. Pour the dressing on to the salad and toss gently to ensure that the dressing is coating all the vegetables.  Season to taste.
7. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds just before serving.

** This salad makes a good light lunch for two people.