Cold Noodles with Zucchini
Zucchini enjoys a touch of heat but can easily lose its texture. By lightly salting and drying zucchini slices before a quick stir-fry—mostly on one side—you preserve their crunch while enhancing their flavor. A bold dressing of maple syrup, soy sauce, and fish sauce, boosted with garlic powder, seasons both the stir-fry and noodles.Ice, a surprising addition, chills the noodles for immediate enjoyment and helps meld the dressing's flavors as you eat. A final squeeze of citrus is essential, bringing depth to this refreshing dish. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, furikake, or shichimi togarashi at the table for added flair.
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini about 8 ounces
- Coarse kosher salt or fine sea salt
- 3 to 4 ounces dried ramen somen or capellini
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup plus more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce plus more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon avocado grapeseed or canola oil
- ½ cup cubed ice
- Lemon or lime wedges and thinly sliced scallions for serving
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the zucchini, then halve lengthwise and slice into ⅓-inch half moons. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt directly on the cutting board, toss to coat, and let sit for at least 10 minutes (up to 30 minutes) to draw out excess moisture.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Transfer to an individual serving bowl.
- In a medium bowl, combine maple syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic powder; set aside.
- Pat the zucchini dry. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to smoke slightly, carefully arrange the zucchini in a single layer in the skillet and season with salt. Cook undisturbed until the zucchini is browned on one side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pieces and cook until tender-crisp, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the cooked zucchini to the bowl with the sauce. Add the ice cubes and toss quickly until the zucchini cools down. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt if necessary. (The dressing should taste quite salty now, knowing that the ice and later the noodles will balance the flavors.)
- To serve, pour the zucchini and its dressing over the noodles. Squeeze citrus juice over the top, sprinkle with scallions, and enjoy immediately. (Feel free to adjust with more maple syrup, soy sauce, or fish sauce to suit your taste as you eat.)
Notes
Tip: The world of Asian noodles offers a wide range of choices. Easily found in supermarkets and especially Asian grocery stores, options like somen (thin wheat noodles) and instant ramen (thicker, curly wheat noodles) often come conveniently packaged in single-serving portions.