Zaru Soba
(Japanese cold buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce)
Image by Karl Baron
Cold buckwheat (soba) noodles are a favorite Japanese summer dish, cool and refreshing. Traditionally served on a bamboo tray, or zaru, zaru soba are dosed in seasoned soy dipping sauce before they are ceremoniously slurped down.
4 servings
Ingredients
- Dried soba noodles -- 1 (12-ounce) package
- Dashi stock -- 1 1/4 cups
- Japanese soy sauce -- 1/2 cup
- Mirin -- 1/4 cup
- Sugar -- 1 teaspoon
- Nori, cut into thin shreds -- 1 sheet
Method
- Cook the soba according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water and drain again.
- Add the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then remove from heat and cool. Portion out into little dipping sauce bowls.
- Portion the noodles out on zaru bamboo trays or plates and garnish with a sprinkling of shredded nori. To eat, use chopstick to dip a few of the in sauce before taking a bite.
Zaru Soba Variations
- Use fresh soba noodles if you can find them. You'll need around 1 1/2 pounds.
- To give the tsuyu added flavor, stir in some chopped scallions or a dab of wasabi.
- To out the nori's best flavor, toasting it lightly by waving it gently over a stovetop burner two or three times.
