Over the summer, I introduced my young kids to a cold noodle dish. Mind you, they love this source of carbs, but typically eat them hot, either as a stir fry, pasta with tomato sauce, or with soup. Nervous to let them try something completely out of the ordinary, I was pleased to find that they both enjoyed Zaru Soba, a Japanese chilled noodle dish served with a dipping sauce.
What is Soba?
Soba is a thin Japanese noodle made with buckwheat flour. Considered to be a healthier alternative to other types of noodles, soba is high in fiber and protein with a chewy texture. They possess a brown-purple hue and nutty flavor and are extremely versatile, often served cold as Zaru Soba or in a salad, with hot broth, or stir-fried in yaki soba. You may also come across green soba, which results from added green tea powder, or pink soba, which has added ume plum flavor. Soba noodles are delicate, so be careful not too overcook them!
What Makes Soba “Zaru Soba?“
Zaru soba is characterized by the following:
- Soba Noodles: These noodles are cooked for a few minutes, then immediately rinsed under cool water to stop the cooking process and retain its chewy texture.
- Zaru: The soba noodles are served on a bamboo mat, also known as “zaru.”
- Tsuyu: This is the sauce mixture, made by combining water with dashi, mirin and soy sauce. Flavors of the noodles are enhanced by dipping the soba into this umami sauce!
- Garnishes: Common garnishments for zaru soba include grated daikon, chopped scallions, wasabi and shredded nori (dried seaweed).
If you’ve tried my recipe, be sure to leave me a comment below and/or tag me @rackoflam and #rackoflam on social media. Also subscribe to my YouTube channel for instructional videos!
Cold Soba Noodles with Dipping Sauce (Zaru Soba)
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp dashi powder
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp mirin
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
REST OF THE DISH
- 6.5 oz soba noodles
OPTIONAL GARNISHMENTS
- chopped scallions
- shredded nori
- wasabi
- grated daikon (excess water squeezed out)
Instructions
FOR THE SAUCE:
- In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil over medium heat. Add dashi powder and sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Turn off the fire, then add mirin and soy sauce and mix until ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Allow the sauce mixture to cool, then place into the fridge for 30 min (or until sauce reaches your desired temperature). You may also serve the sauce warm!
REST OF THE DISH
- When you are ready to serve noodles with the sauce, bring a pot of water to a boil, then cook soba noodles according to package instructions (about 5 minutes).
- Immediately discard the boiling water, then run the soba noodles over cold water. Drain thoroughly, then set the noodles aside.
TO SERVE
- Place a serving of soba noodles onto a plate, topped with optional scallions and shredded nori, with a side of optional wasabi and/or grated daikon.
- In a small bowl, pour a serving of the sauce mixture, then dip the noodles in the sauce before having each bite! Enjoy!
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