This is one of those "I can be anything you want me to be" recipes. Skip the meatballs and it's a wonderful Asian noodle salad. It can be served hot, cold or in-between.

Or add the meatballs — the meatballs are a wonderful addition to the noodles and incorporate many of the same seasonings as the noodle dish. Put them in or leave them out.

I prefer the fresh flavor of this quickly assembled dressing. To save a few minutes, you could skip the last seven ingredients and substitute with a bottled Asian dressing, such as Soy Vay Veri Teriyaki or Annie's Asian Sesame Dressing, to taste.

Yield: 3-4 servings
Time: 20 minutes (without making meatballs)
Cost: Approx. $7.50

Ingredients

8 ounces soba noodles (Asian buckwheat noodles)
12-16 ounces broccoli slaw or Asian vegetable mix*
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 recipe for Asian Meatballs (optional)

*Broccoli slaw is generally a mixture of broccoli, carrots and red cabbage. Pre-packs of Asian vegetable could include napa, bok choy, carrots and broccoli.

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 6-7 minutes or until tender. In last two minutes of cooking time, add broccoli slaw or Asian vegetable mix. Drain.
2. While noodles are cooking, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, honey, oil, ginger, garlic and cilantro. Toss with noodle and vegetables. Serve with Asian meatballs, if using.