Soba New Year

Because it’s the end of the year, it’s time to think Soba. It is one of the Japanese traditions to eat soba noodles on New Year’s Eve. Reason? There are lots of different theories. Whatever the reason they believe in, recent statistics show that close to 60% of Japanese people still went along with the tradition and ate soba noodles on 31 December!

Soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) is a type of thin traditional Japanese fast food, developed in the 15^th century as the perfect instant meal. They’re light and digestible in summer served chilled with a dipping sauce, or  warming in winter served in hot broth as a noodle soup.

Because noodles made out of pure buckwheat can easily fall apart when boiled, the buckwheat flour is usually mixed with binders – often wheat flour. Under the Japan Agricultural Standards regulations, the noodles must contain at least 30% buckwheat in order to be called soba but noodles with a higher buckwheat content are seen as more desirable. The quality of noodles is highly dependent on the skill of the maker, especially for soba noodles with high buckwheat content. The raw noodles are boiled before being served hot or cold.

In Japan, soba noodles are served in a variety of situations. They are a popular inexpensive fast food at train stations throughout Japan, as we well as being served by exclusive and expensive specialty restaurants. Soba noodles are also made at home. I like arranging soba with vegetables in a salad that can be served as a balanced one dish meal.

 

To make Soba salad you need: (serve 4)

Soba noodles (dried) 4 bundles 400g

100g Surimi fish salad mix

10 cm cucumber

A few lettuce leaves

½ carrot

1-2 spring onion

½ sheet Nori

Soba noodle salad sauce (dressing)

Wasabi Dressing

1 teaspoon Wasabi paste

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon salad oil

Sesame Dressing

4 tablespoons Tahini

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Ponzu Dressing

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons mirin (or 1 tablespoon sugar and 3 tablespoons dry white wine)

How to make Soba noodle salad

1. Make dressing of your choice. Mix all ingredients of each dressing.
2. Cut cucumber, spring onions, lettuce, carrot and salad mix into thin strips.
3. Cut nori into small pieces with a pair of scissors.
4. Cook soba noodles in plenty of boiling water for 4-5 minutes or following the instruction shown on the package. When cooked rinse under the cold water.
5. Put Soba noodles on a plate/bowl. Arrange vegetables, salad mix and nori on top.
6. Pour dressing and serve.