Cold Zaru Soba Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup
dashi stock
3 tablespoons
soy sauce
1 tablespoons
sake
1 ½ teaspoons
evaporated cane sugar

  • 8 ounces dried soba noodles
  • 8 cups water, for boiling
  • Ice cubes
  • 1/2 cup mentsuyu dipping sauce (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1/4 cup water (for diluting mentsuyu, optional)
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon wasabi (optional)
  • Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
  • Nori seaweed, cut into thin strips (kizami nori, optional)

Instructions

  1. Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
  2. Add the dried soba noodles and cook according to package directions (usually 5-7 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  3. While the noodles are cooking, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and plenty of ice cubes.
  4. Once the noodles are cooked al dente, drain them immediately in a colander.
  5. Rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess starch.
  6. Transfer the noodles to the ice bath and chill for a minute or two, gently agitating them with your hands.
  7. Drain the noodles well and divide them among individual serving baskets or plates.
  8. Prepare the dipping sauce by combining the mentsuyu with water (if desired) in small individual bowls.
  9. Serve the chilled soba noodles with the dipping sauce, green onion, grated ginger, wasabi (if using), toasted sesame seeds (if using), and nori seaweed (if using).
  10. To eat, pick up a small amount of soba noodles with chopsticks and dip them into the sauce. Enjoy immediately.

Notes:

  • Mentsuyu: Mentsuyu is a Japanese noodle dipping sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, kombu (kelp), and dried bonito flakes. You can find it at most Asian grocery stores or online. You can also make it from scratch.
  • Diluting Mentsuyu: Mentsuyu is often concentrated, so you may need to dilute it with water to your taste preference. Start with a ratio of 1 part mentsuyu to 1 part water and adjust as needed.
  • Toppings: Feel free to add other toppings to your zaru soba, such as daikon radish sprouts (kaiware), thinly sliced cucumber, or a soft-boiled egg.
  • Serving: Zaru soba is typically served cold, so make sure the noodles are well-chilled before serving.