Colourful rainbow salad

Colourful, crunchy and full of flavour, this rainbow salad by Pascale Naessens combines soba noodles, red cabbage, carrot, snow peas and edamame with a creamy cashew dressing. A fresh dish for two, ready in less than half an hour.

Serves 2 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 6-8 minutes

1. Cook the soba noodles in a pot of salted water for about 5 minutes, or until done.
2. Add the edamame beans during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
3. Make the dressing: mix the cashew butter with the sesame oil, soy sauce, honey and lime juice.
4. Add 4 to 5 tablespoons of water and stir until the dressing has a yoghurt-like consistency. Add more water if needed.
5. Finely chop half the coriander and basil and mix them into the dressing.
6. Slice the red cabbage into long, thin strips; cut the carrot and snow peas into julienne.
7. Roughly chop the remaining coriander and basil.
8. Drain the noodles and edamame, rinse under cold water and leave to drain. Combine the noodles, beans, vegetables and dressing in a large bowl.
9. Sprinkle the roughly chopped roasted cashews and sesame seeds over the salad.

How do you stop soba noodles from sticking together?

Rinse the noodles under cold water immediately after draining and let them drain well. This removes excess starch and cools them quickly.

Can you prepare the rainbow salad in advance?

Yes. Prepare the noodles, vegetables and dressing in advance and keep them separately in the fridge. Combine them shortly before serving and add the cashews last.

How do you thin cashew dressing?

Add the water one tablespoon at a time and stir well. Stop when the dressing is creamy and has a yoghurt-like consistency.