RECIPE: World’s Best Gluten-Free Pasta Dish

Every once in a while I come up with a really good recipe. When I do, I like to pass it along.

I say “I like to pass it along”, because, well, there are a couple reasons I don’t do it:

1. Some recipes I’ve been meaning to pass along — like my no-sugar-no-fat-added banana-apple waffles — but I just haven’t found the time.
2. Most recipes I make are one off. That is to say, I don’t measure anything, and I often add things along the way, and forget what’s in them, so there is no way for me to accurately tell you about it.

But this one for the World’s Best Gluten-Free Pasta Dish is one that — while I didn’t measure — I can figure out about the right numbers to give you a chance to make it.

And so, without further ado, here it is.

NOTE: When I say “gluten-free” I am referring to the pasta. If you need things to be completely gluten-free, you should probably use a tamari-style soy sauce, and check on any other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz (dry) Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti, broken in half (unless you really like whole spaghetti)
• 30 young, thin (size of a smallish drinking straw) asparagus spears, less if you have thicker ones
• 2 Tbsp (or to taste) of your favorite soy sauce, I prefer to use a non-GMO soy sauce like Polar
• 1.5 Tbsp (or to taste) Huy Fong sriracha
• 2 or 3 medium tomatos, diced
• 1 handful baby kale, chopped OR similar volume of kale tips
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1.25 cups slightly sprouted mung beans (less than 1-inch sprouts, about 1.5 to 2 days into sprouting)
• Splash of lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the pasta water on to boil and heat up a grill pan or your grill.
2. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta. Set your timer for 13 minutes. (NOTE: The package directions say 16 minutes, but we’ll work that out in step 8 below. If you don’t use Tinkyada brand, check the cooking instructions on your package, and shave 2 or 3 minutes from it.)
3. Once the grill is hot, add the asparagus. Leave the spears on just long enough to add dark marks, but don’t cook them through. This should take no more than 2 minutes.
4. Remove the asparagus to a cutting board, and cut off and discard the woody bottoms, then cut the rest into slightly larger than bite-size pieces, i.e. don’t destroy them. 3 or 4 cuts is all you need.
5. After 13 minutes, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
6. Add the soy sauce and sriracha to the pasta. Stir to coat.
7. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the lemon juice. Stir to mix.
8. Cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. This will warm up the uncooked ingredients and cook the pasta the rest of the way. (NOTE: I use cast iron, so the pot holds its heat. If you use a type of cookware that cools faster, you may need to leave your pot on the stove on “warm”.)
9. Serve in shallow pasta dishes. Add the splash of lemon at the table for just the right touch of acid.

TIME NEEDED
30 minutes, including prep

NUMBER OF SERVINGS
2 large, 3 medium, 4 small