History and product info
Made from buckwheat grain, soba noodles are firmer in texture than pasta and have a rich, nutty taste. The buckwheat grain itself is the traditional staple of Siberia, Manchuria, Russia, Poland and other parts of Europe and Central Asia, and taking only 3 months from seed to harvest was the grain traditionally consumed by nomadic tribes.
Soba is thought to have been introduced to Japan from China during the Edo Period (1603-1867) where they have now come to be a staple in the Japanese diet, as evident by the institutional status of the soba noodle shops on almost every block in Japanese cities today.
Soba is made by using 8 parts buckwheat to 2 parts wheat flour, so compared to other noodles and pastas, soba are very low in gluten content. Soba contains nearly double the amount of proteins than pasta or bread, high levels of vitamin A, vitamins B1 and B2, calcium and selenium. Soba also contains high levels of rutin, a kind of antioxidation ingredient, also found in green tea and red wine but not found in other grains or beans.
Storage and Tips
Store soba noodles like you would other pasta, in an airtight container and in a cool, dry place.
Unlike pasta, you don't need to add salt to the water that you are cooking the soba in. After you put the soba in the pan, bring the water back up to a gentle boil, then lower the heat so that the water is just simmering (this differs from the 'rolling boil' that's recommended for pasta.). Soba cooks a lot more quickly than pasta, around 2-3 minutes, so don't walk away from the stove for too long.
Whether you are making a hot or cold dish, rinse the noodles vigorously under running water after you boil it – this gets get rid of the excess starch and stops the soba sticking together in a lump.
Test by eating a strand - it should be cooked through, not al dente, but not mushy either.
Recipes
1. Zaru Soba
This is most basic soba dish, consisting of cold soba noodles served with a dipping sauce. It makes a perfect quick snack or light lunch in the summer time and is super easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
Soba (a bundle the width of a 10cent coin for each person) Concentrated tsuyu (dippng sauce available at Asian grocery stores)
Instructions:
1.Prepare the soba as per the directions and rinse with iced water after soba is cooked.
2. Place on a plate or bamboo plate (available from larger Asian supermarkets). For each person and dilute about 1/3 cup of tsuyu with
2 tbs of water.
3. Serve with any of the following ingredients:
Finely chopped green onions, seven-flavor pepper (nanami tohgarashi), toasted sesame seeds, finely cut nori seaweed (cut with a pair of kitchen scissors, or just shred with your hands), wasabi or grated fresh ginger. Enjoy!
2. Soba Noodle Salad
Another summer dish, not quite traditional but yum all the same,
Ingredients
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 chile, seeded and chopped (optional)
fresh lime juice
Zest of one lime
1 tablespoon sesame oil
400 g soba noodles
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large ripe mango, peeled and chopped into cubes
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
Lime wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
1 Place the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the sugar and salt dissolve. Stir in the garlic and chilli, and allow to cool. Add the lime juice, lime zest, and sesame oil and mix well.
2 Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and then rinse well under cool water. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl and toss with the dressing.
3 Add the mango, bell pepper, basil and mint. Toss and plate. Serve with chopped peanuts sprinkled over the top and lime wedges.