King Oyster Mushroom Scallops over Ponzu Soba Noodles

As most of you know, I'm not a fan of processed food. There was a moment of desperation, and in that moment, starving and unable to think, I purchased a can of sriracha peas. They looked harmless enough, so I read the label. Nothing too offensive, I thought to myself, so I cracked them open right there in the aisle of the Target. They were...interesting. I think that they are mostly garlic powder, but they also had an intense saltiness, heat, and a hint of sweet. I knew I could use them for something: a crunchy coating on some tofu. Or even better, use them as a dredge for my king oyster mushroom scallops.

Ponzu Broth:

1 Not-Beef bouillon cube

2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

3 green onions (sliced, white parts only)

zest of one orange

2 tablespoons mirin

1 tablespoon sesame oil

splash of Braggs or soy sauce

3 cups water

Bring all ingredients to a boil then remove from heat. Make sure the bouillon cube has completely dissolved.

King Oyster Mushroom Scallops over Ponzu Soba Noodles

2 king oyster mushrooms (sliced into 1 inch segments)

olive oil

salt & pepper

1/4 cup sriracha peas (pulverized in the food processor)

ponzu broth

2 serving dried soba noodles

2 carrots (shredded with a julienne peeler)

3 green onions (green parts, sliced on the bias)

chili oil (like La-Yu)

Braggs or soy sauce

Score the tops of the mushroom slices. Drizzle each with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper and a little salt, and lastly, dust each mushroom with the sriracha pea crumbs. Bring broth to a boil and add noodles. Once they are soft, add the carrots and remove from heat. Sear mushrooms in olive oil over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side. (Do not overcook the king oyster mushrooms as they will become tough.)

Remove mushrooms from the pan and arrange them onto a bed of noodles and carrots. Garnish the dish with green onion, chili oil, Braggs, and another dusting of the sriracha peas. And then, try to look coy when someone thanks you for the wonderful seared sea scallops.