Serves 6
4cm piece ginger, sliced into sticks, plus 2cm very thinly sliced
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp cold water
600g culinary pumpkin, deseeded and chopped into pieces
135ml soy sauce
135ml sake
135ml mirin
65g sugar
250ml cold water
2 smoked garlic clove, sliced
zest and juice of 1 lime, plus wedges to serve
3 king prawns or 2 halved-lengthways king oyster mushrooms each
600g soba noodles
2 tbsp sesame seeds
4 tbsp sesame seed oil
400g carrot, julienned
2 tbsp coriander leaves
sea salt
Place the sliced ginger in a small bowl and sprinkle with salt l. Add the vinegar and water and cover. Chill until needed (or overnight if possible). Preheat the oven to 200 C and place the pumpkin in an oven tray. Roast for 20 mins. Place the soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring mixture to the boil. Simmer until the sugar dissolves, then hold on a rolling boil for 3 mins until thick. Add garlic, ginger sticks and lime zest.
Place the prawns or mushrooms in an oven tray and add the roasted pumpkin. Pour over the soy sauce mixture. Turn the oven to 180 C and bake for 20 mins, or until the prawns are completely cooked through.
In the meantime, place the noodles in a large saucepan and cover with boiling water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 mins. Drain and refresh in hot water, then coat with lime juice, sesame seeds and sesame seed oil.
In a serving bowl, combine the carrot, pickled ginger mixture and coriander. Divide the noodles between six serving plates, top with the prawns/mushrooms and pumpkin, then serve with the carrot salad and lime wedges to squeeze over.