Japanese: Zaru Soba

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 3)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Japanese-style soba noodles (usually a blend of buckwheat and wheat flour)
• 3 quarts water (for boiling noodles)
• 1 quart iced water (for chilling the noodles)
• 2 green onions, chopped (green parts only)
• ½ cup daikon, julienned or shredded
• ⅓ cup fresh ginger, julienned or grated
• ¼ cup nori seaweed, julienned or shredded
• wasabi (optional)
• 2 cups “sobayu” (cooking liquid from boiling the noodles)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup sake
• ¼ cup mirin
• 2 teaspoons bonito soup stock powder (approx ½ teaspoon per cup of liquid)
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Procedure:

1. Boil 3 quarts of water in a large pot, add dried soba noodles, cook the noodles according to the package instructions (each brand is slightly different)
2. While the noodles are cooking, prep the toppings: chop the green onions, julienne the daikon, ginger, and nori
3. When the noodles are done (just tender), drain cooking liquid (“sobayu”) into a large bowl; set aside
4. Rinse noodles under cold running water, transfer to another bowl with iced water; set aside
5. Make the dipping sauce: in a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of warm “sobayu” with soy sauce, sake, mirin, and bonito soup stock powder; mix well
6. Strain sauce with cheese cloth and divide among 3 individual serving bowls
7. To serve: place bamboo mats over individual plates (to catch the draining water from the noodles), garnish with green onions
8. Serve toppings on individual small plates with a bowl of the dipping sauce; add a little wasabi in a separate plate (if desired)