NAME THAT TUNA

If you love the texture of noodles but don`t want to face a plate of steaming hot pasta on a 90-degree evening, take your cue from Japanese cooks. During the winter, they prepare noodles in a simmering broth; during the summer, they serve noodles cold with a soy dipping sauce.

The Japanese soba noodle, made with buckwheat, is adaptable for either preparation. It doesn`t get slimy or mushy if it`s chilled. Just don`t overcook it; five to eight minutes in salted, boiling water should give you the toothsome texture you`ll want.

Cook a package of soba noodles, toss with a little oil and refrigerate up to three days. You`ll have the base for an instant dinner on nights when it`s too hot to cook. Add some canned tuna or shrimp, diced cucumbers and carrots and a splash of soy sauce, and you`ve got dinner.

If you`re more ambitious, saute snow peas and tuna steak and add to the noodles. Flavor with a Soy-Ginger Dressing and you`ll have an entree that`s as refreshing as a cool breeze. For a vegetarian, no-cook version of this dish, substitute 1 cup diced firm tofu and 1 cup frozen, thawed peas.

TUNA WITH SOBA NOODLES

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 slices (1/4-inch-thick) ginger

4 ounces snow peas or sugar snap peas

1/2 pound fresh tuna steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 ounces soba noodles, cooked, tossed with 1 teaspoon oil and chilled

Soy-Ginger Dressing (recipe follows)

Heat oil in medium skillet. Add garlic and ginger and saute 1 minute. Add snow peas and saute over medium heat until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Remove snow peas to serving bowl.

Increase heat to high. Add tuna cubes and sear on all sides until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Discard garlic and ginger. Transfer to serving bowl. Add noodles.

Prepare dressing. Pour over noodle mixture and toss gently but well. Serve at room temperature. Makes 2 servings.

Soy-Ginger Dressing

2 tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon chopped green onion, green part only

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1/8 teaspoon pepper

In cup, stir together soy sauce, mirin, ginger, green onion, hoisin sauce and pepper.

(Bev Bennett is the author of four cookbooks including the award-winning ``Dinner for Two,`` Barron`s.)

(c) 2000, Bev Bennett. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

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Author: Bev Bennett