Salmon and soba noodles make a surprisingly good team. The noodles bring a soft, nutty base, and the salmon adds richness without making the dish feel heavy. Once you mix in the crunchy vegetables, the leafy greens, and the tangy dressing, you get a bowl that is fresh, filling, and full of colour.

This is the kind of recipe you turn to when you want dinner on the table fast, but you still want it to taste like you put in some effort. Everything about it is simple. The noodles cook in minutes. The salmon needs only a quick pan fry. The vegetables slice up easily. Even the dressing comes together with a few squeezes of lime and a splash of ponzu.

Ingredients

• 2 free-range eggs, washed
• 540g dried soba noodles
• 300g skinless salmon fillets
• 3 carrots
• 2 spring onions, cut on the diagonal into thin slices
• 1 cucumber, cut into rounds
• 100g frozen edamame, blanched
• 120g baby spinach leaves
• 2 limes
• 1/3 cup ponzu sauce
• 2 tbs sesame oil
• 2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
• 5 ml extra virgin olive oil cooking spray

Method

1. Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, stirring to help centre the yolks. Boil for 8 minutes for a medium yolk or until cooked to your liking, adding noodles to the water in the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain noodles and refresh under cold water. Peel eggs and slice them in half.

2. Spray salmon with oil. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook salmon for 2 minutes on each side for medium or until cooked to your liking.

3. Using a vegetable peeler, cut carrots into ribbons. Combine carrots, onions, cucumbers, edamame, spinach, and noodles in a large bowl.

4. Whisk the lime zest, juice, ponzu, and sesame oil in a jug and drizzle it over the salmon and noodles. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.