Recipes > Japanese Recipes > Japanese Main Dishes > Japanese Soba
TRADITIONAL JAPANESE RECIPE: Soba is something you cannot make ahead of time. When you want to make it then, you'll have to eat it. so I recommend making the soba and tofu the day you want to eat it.
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or a bit of crunch you can even use watermelon radish here, but you can swap in whatever varietal you like - little coins of baby radish might be a nice alternative and potentially easier to come by.
Buckwheat is ready for harvest in three months, allowing four crops a year, mainly in spring, summer, and autumn. In Japan, buckwheat is produced mainly in Hokkaido. Soba that is made with newly harvested buckwheat is called "shin-soba". It is sweeter and more flavorful than regular soba.
The most famous Japanese soba noodles come from Nagano. Soba from Nagano is called Shinano Soba or Shinshu soba. Ni-hachi (二八, two-eight) soba, consists of two parts of wheat and eight of buckwheat; Juwari (十割, 100%) soba, the finest (and usually most expensive) variety, consists entirely of buckwheat.
By location:
- Etanbetsu soba: named after the central region of Hokkaidō (Asahikawacity);
- Izumo soba: named after Izumo in Shimane;
- Izushi soba: named after Izushi in Hyōgo;
- Shinshu soba: named after the old name of Nagano Prefecture. Also known as Shinano soba. (Shinano=Shinshu).
By ingredients:
- Cha soba: flavored with green tea powder;
- Hegi soba: flavored with seaweed;
- Inaka soba: "country soba", thick soba made with whole buckwheat;
- Jinenjo soba: flavored with wild yam flour;
- Mugi soba: flavored with mugwort;
- Ni-hachi soba: soba containing 20% wheat and 80% buckwheat;
- Sarashina soba: thin, light-colored soba, made with refined buckwheat;
- Towari soba or Juwari soba: 100% buckwheat soba.
Skill Level:  |
Time: 30 Minutes |
Price:  |
Serves: 4 People |
Ingredients:
| Conversions |
Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
02 - While you're waiting for the water to come up to temperature, place the Scallions, Shallots, and Ginger in a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle with the salt, and pound until everything is quite bruised, but not paste-like.
03 - Gently heat the Oil in a small saucepan until it is just hot enough that you could saute.
04 - Add the Scallion mixture, saute' and remove when ready. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
05 - Drain the Tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into matchsticks or 1.5cm/ 1/2-inch cubes.
06 - Cook the Tofu, along with a pinch of Salt, in a well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side.
07 - Add a tiny splash of Oil if needed, to prevent sticking. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the Tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy.
08 - Cook the Soba Noodles per package instructions.
09 - Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and shake off as much water as possible. Toss the Noodles with a bit of the Oil off the top of the Scallion Ginger Paste at this point so the Noodles don't stick down the line.
10 - Serve the Soba along with the Scallion-Ginger paste.
Notes:
- Radish, Tofu and Chives on the side.
- Soy Sauce must be served on the side. The soba will be dipped in and eaten.
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