Soba noodles are a staple in Japanese cuisine and can be served in various dishes, warm or cold. Soba noodles are thin, long noodles with a nutty flavour and quite a distinctive colour and texture. Some soba noodles are made entirely from buckwheat flour, while others might contain a combination of buckwheat and wheat flour. Buckwheat, the main ingredient, is a nutritious and gluten-free grain that can also be often found in Eastern European dishes as well as in French buckwheat crêpes or kuttu roti in India.
Ingredients
About 500g soba noodles
1 large or 2 smaller bunches of spring onions / about 2 cups when chopped
1 TBS canola oil (rapeseed oil)
cup of dark soy sauce
3 TBS sesame oil
1 TBS rice vinegar (or to taste)
1 TBS honey or sugar
Grated fresh ginger or some ginger powder (to taste)
Finely chopped garlic clove or some garlic powder (to taste)
3 TBS black and white sesame seeds
Freshly ground black pepper or chilli flakes (optional, to taste)
Preparation
1. To cook the noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook according to the package instructions, usually around 4-5 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water. Return the noodles to the pot and toss them with some of the sesame oil to prevent them from sticking.
2. Wash and chop the spring onions and set aside some (about half a cup) for garnish. Add the rest to the large frying pan or wok, add rapeseed oil and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Set aside as well.
3. To toast the sesame seeds, place them on a small frying pan and heat until fragrant and white sesame seeds start getting golden.
4. To prepare the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, the rest of the sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or sugar, ginger, garlic, half of the sesame seeds, and black pepper or chilli flakes (if using). Taste and adjust the flavours to your liking by adding more soy sauce for saltiness, more vinegar for acidity or more honey/sugar for sweetness.
5. Combine the sauce with spring onions in the pan. Add noodles, and use tongs or chopsticks to gently mix everything together.
6. Share the noodles in the serving plates or bowls. Garnish with remaining spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.
7. Enjoy as a main dish or a side dish. You can top soba noodles with grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for a complete meal.
Makes six generous servings.
