Black Rice Sesame Noodles

Fill a large pot with water and add a big pinch of salt; heat to boiling on high. Line a cutting board with paper towels. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the beet; cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch wedges, then halve crosswise. Once the pot of water is boiling, add the beet wedges and cook, uncovered, 22 to 24 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Leaving the water boiling, using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beet to a strainer. Rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to 1 minute; pat dry with paper towels. Place in a medium bowl.

While the beet cooks, peel the carrots; thinly slice on an angle. Cut off and discard the root end of the bok choy; thinly slice crosswise, separating the stems and leaves. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Remove and discard the kale stems; finely chop the leaves. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice on an angle, separating the white bottoms and green tops. In a bowl, combine the sesame oil, sushi sauce, half the vinegar, half the ponzu sauce, and as much of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the beet continues to cook, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the sliced bok choy stems, chopped ginger, and chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the kale is slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the water has cooked off; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.

While the vegetables cook, add the noodles to the same pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking. Transfer the drained noodles and sauce to the bowl of cooked vegetables. Stir to thoroughly combine; season with salt and pepper to taste.

In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium until hot. Keeping them separate, crack the eggs into the pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Turn off the heat.

To the bowl of cooked beet, add the sliced bok choy leaves, sliced white bottoms of the scallions, remaining vinegar, remaining ponzu sauce, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Top the finished noodles with the cooked eggs. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Garnish the salad with the peanuts. Enjoy!