I do love a cold salad of soba noodles just tossed with a peanut dressing. But for more complicated special things I love the following recipes. Soba Salad with Chicken 1 pound chicken cutlets or tenders 1 pound soba noodles 1/2 seedless cucumber 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil 2 teaspoons Sriracha 1/4 cup chopped scallions Cut chicken into 1/2-inch-wide strips, then cook in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer chicken with a slotted spoon to a bowl (drain any excess liquid), reserving water in pot. Return water to a boil, then cook noodles, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 to 8 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup noodle-cooking water and drain noodles in a colander. Rinse noodles under cold water to stop cooking, then drain well. While noodles cook, cut cucumber lengthwise into julienne strips, slicing until you reach core, then rotating cucumber a quarter turn, continuing to slice and rotate until left with nothing but core. Pat dry. Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and reserved cooking water until smooth. Divide noodles among large serving bowls. Spoon about 1/4 cup peanut sauce over noodles in each bowl, then divide chicken, cucumber, and scallions among bowls. Serve immediately with remaining sauce and additional chile paste. Stir noodles just before eating. __________________________________________________ Soba Noodles with Veggies and Tofu 8-ounce package soba (buckwheat noodles)* 1 Asian or Bosc pear 3 tablespoons vegetable oil a 1/2-pound piece firm tofu, rinsed, patted dry, hard edges trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 4 carrots, cut into 1 1/2-by 1/4-inch sticks 1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced thin 4 scallions, sliced thin (about 1 1/2 cups) 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, or to taste 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted lightly Bring 5 quarts salted water to a boil for noodles. Peel and cut pear into matchstick pieces. In a large non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over moderately high heat and brown tofu. Transfer tofu with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper. Add carrots to skillet and sauté, stirring, until just tender and golden brown. Transfer carrots with slotted spoon to a bowl. Add to skillet remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, mushrooms, scallions, ginger, and pear and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender. Remove skillet from heat and stir in carrots. Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and immediately rinse with cold water. In a large bowl toss noodles with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Return skillet to moderate heat and add 1/4 cup water, tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon sesame oil. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring, until hot. Add noddles, tossing to combine and adding more water if necessary, and cook until heated through. Season noodles with salt and pepper and serve warm topped with tofu and sesame seeds.