Soba Noodles: Japanese Comfort Food
Soba noodles are a traditional Japanese staple made from buckwheat. Soba is a comfort food to the Japanese, which they hold very dear. On a recent episode of the show No Reservations on the Travel Channel, the host Anthony Bourdain asked a group of Japanese people, “If it was your last day on earth, what would you want to eat”? I would have thought the answers would have been Toro, or perhaps Kobe beef — two of the more decadent Japanese foods. Most of the people in the room emphatically responded, “soba”.
The process of making Soba noodles in Japan is steeped in tradition and ceremony. The process is very labor intensive as well, and it takes years to learn the proper technique. One book called, “The Book of Soba” is a complete guide to making soba noodles. It was written by a man who studied the art of soba noodle making in Japan for three years. Most of us can finish a Masters degree in less than two years, so that should give you an indication as to the intensity of the process.
Here in America, we should look to the Japanese traditional dish as a healthy snack or the basis of a healthy meal. Soba can be served hot in the winter or cold in the summer. The noodles are high in protein and low in calories. I use these noodles all year round as a base for stir fries and soups. However, one of my favorite ways to have soba is cold. Seeing as though we are bidding the summer farewell, here is a great way to experience the traditional Japanese noodle in a refreshing way for summer. I cannot say that the way my husband and I prepare this is a traditional Japanese dish, but the flavors meld nicely together, and it’s a good way to use up your bumper crop of summer basil.
Cold Soba Noodle with Sautéed Basil
Ingredients:
6 oz. soba noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
2 scallions, chopped
soba-tsuyu dipping sauce, served on the side
Cook soba noodles according to directions, drain and rinse. Place soba noodles in a bowl and put them in the refrigerator to cool.
Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic. Add leaves of torn basil and sauté until wilted. Set aside to cool.
Remove soba noodles from refrigerator, mix sesame oil, garlic and basil with noodles. Spoon servings into dishes, and sprinkle chopped scallion and sesame seeds on top of each serving. Serve noodles on bamboo mat or dish with a side serving of soba-tsuyu.
This recipe technically makes 3 1-cup servings; However, I serve this dish to my husband with a generous serving for him, and a normal sized serving for me.
I purchase the soba-tsuyu dipping sauce from my local Asian ethnic market. However, you can usually find soba-tsuyu at a Whole Foods Market, if there is one in your area. There are also a few recipes online to make your own soba-tsuyu:
