Chilled Zaru Soba Noodles
The minimalist soul of Japanese summer dining. Earthy, nutty buckwheat noodles (Soba) are boiled, washed in ice water, and served cold on a bamboo tray. You dip them rapidly into a chilled, highly savory dashi broth packed with grated ginger.
Ingredients
- 2 portions Dried Soba buckwheat noodles
- 1.5 cups Mentsuyu concentrated dipping sauce, chilled
- 1 Green onion finely sliced
- 1 tsp Freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp Wasabi paste
- 1 pinch Kizami Nori shredded seaweed
Instructions
- Boil the Soba: Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous, rolling boil. Drop in the dried soba noodles. Cook them according to the package directions, stirring gently so they do not stick together (usually 4 to 5 minutes).
- Shock in Ice Water (Crucial): Drain the hot noodles immediately in a fine-mesh colander. Plunge them directly into a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. Using your hands, aggressively wash and rub the noodles together in the ice water to remove all surface starch and firm up the texture.
- Drain Exceptionally Well: Drain the cold noodles vigorously. Shake the colander hard; any excess water will dilute the dipping sauce.
- Assemble the Tray: Arrange the glossy, cold noodles beautifully on a traditional bamboo Zaru tray or a flat serving plate. Top the noodles with a generous pinch of shredded Nori seaweed.
- Serve with Dipping Sauce: Pour the chilled Mentsuyu dipping sauce into small, individual cups. Serve the noodles alongside small side plates holding the grated ginger, sliced green onions, and wasabi. Diners mix the aromatics into their sauce and dip the cold noodles before slurping.
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