Zaru Soba (Buckwheat Noodles)

Zaru soba is just so easy to make. You can get the noodles cooked and chilled and make the sauce ahead and just assemble everything when ready to eat. I usually serve it with prawns and veg tempura. Otherwise it's just too plain.



Zaru Soba

300g dried buckwheat noodles(3 to 4 persons)
2 cups very hot water
1 heaped T dashi granules
5 T Kikkoman soy sauce
3 T mirin
1 T fine sugar

1. Boil the noodles 2 to 3 min. Add 1 cup room temp water to stop the boiling. Let the water boil again, then test for doneness by nipping a noodle with your fingernails. If there's a little white dough in the middle, switch the heat off and cover pot for a couple of minutes. Drain and rinse under running water. Drain and let cool. Chill till ready to eat.
2. Put the dashi into the hot water, stir well, then add everything else and stir till sugar is dissolved. Cool and then chill.
3. Prepare:
wasabi paste
grated ginger
finely sliced spring onions
toasted nori strips
4. In Japan, soba is served in bamboo baskets or on bamboo mats. The soy-dashi dip is served in small bowls or cups. The condiments are mixed into the dip and then the noodles are picked up by chopsticks and dipped into the dip. Hubby finds this troublesome and always eat it chinese way: pour the dip into the soba (in a bowl)...