- 1 pound asparagus,
woody ends trimmed - 1/2 ounce dried wakame seaweed (see note above)
- 300 grams (about 10 1/2 ounces) dried soba noodles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 cup fresh juice from 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil
- 1 (1 1/2-inch) knob fresh peeled ginger, grated
- 1 large English cucumber, ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced into quarter-moons
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- 2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced on the bias
- Kosher salt
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Place wakame in a medium bowl and cover with plenty of warm water. Let stand until softened and rehydrated (about 10 minutes), then transfer to a fine mesh strainer to drain. In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to an ice-water bath to chill. Slice chilled asparagus into 1 1/2-inch lengths on a slight bias.
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In a new pot of salted boiling water, cook soba noodles until tender, according to package instructions. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold running water until chilled.
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In a small mixing bowl, stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, lemon juice, canola oil, and ginger. Drain wakame and squeeze out excess water with your hands.
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In a large bowl, combine soba noodles, asparagus, wakame, cucumber, sesame seeds, and scallions and toss well. Season with salt and serve, sprinkling more sesame seeds on individual plates, if desired.