Black Bean Spaghetti Salad with Sesame Toasted Broccoli

Mixing up your usual pasta dish with this black bean spaghetti version from the latest recipe book "A Whole New Way to Eat" by Vladia Cobrdova.

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz) broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 200 g (7 oz) black bean spaghetti (or brown rice noodles)
• 150 g (5½ oz) snow peas (mangetout), trimmed and halved lengthways
• 250 g (9 oz) green beans, trimmed and cut in half

UMEBOSHI DRESSING

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) sesame oil
• 1½ tbsp mirin (rice wine)
• 2 tbsp umeboshi (fermented Japanese plum) paste
• ¼ cup finely grated fresh ginger
• 75 g (2¾ oz/ ½ cup) sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Spread the broccoli on a baking tray, add the sesame oil and sesame seeds and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly roasted but still crunchy.
3. Meanwhile, bring 2 litres (70 fl oz/8 cups) of water to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook for 6–8 minutes until tender. Add the snow peas and green beans for the last minute of cooking to blanch. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
4. To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl with 60 ml (2 fl oz/ ¼ cup) of water.
5. Transfer the spaghetti, snow peas and green beans to a serving bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss until well coated. Top with the crunchy broccoli florets and serve.

Note: Umeboshi paste is made from fermented plums: it has a salty flavor yet still tastes like a plum. It is absolutely delicious and has antiviral properties. Try it as a pick-me-up when you’re run down.

Recipes and Images from A Whole New Way to Eat by Vladia Cobrdova (Murdoch Books)

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