Japanese Soba With Dipping Sauce

Total Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 sheet nori (4 inches)
• 14 ounces dried soba noodles
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 1/4 ounces bonito flakes, see note
• 7 fluid ounces shoyu
• 7 fluid ounces mirin
• 3 cups water

Recipe

• 1 note: the recipes calls for kezuri-bushi but the zaar computer likes the name bonito flakes better.
• 2 mix all the sauce in a pan and boil over high for 2 minutes. reduce to medium heat and cook 2 more minutes. strain thru muslin. cool. chill.
• 3 soak onions in ice cold water for 5 mins then squeeze out excess water.
• 4 toast nori over med flame until dry and crisp then cut into 1/8 inch wide strips with a sissor.
• 5 heat 9 cups water in large pan. it should not be more than 2/3 pan's depth.
• 6 bring to boil and add soba. distribute evenly and stir to prevent sticking. when it is bubbling pour 1/4 cup cold water in to lower temperature.
• 7 repeat and cook for time stated on your soba package. if no time is stated use 5 minutes. test the noodle. you should be able to cut it with your finger. it should be tender.
• 8 put large sieve under cold running water and pour soba in then wash with hands. rub well to remove starch. it should feel slightly elastic. drain again.
• 9 pour dipping sauce into 4 cups put wasabi and onions on individual serving dishes for guests. divide soba between 4 plates. sprinkle with nori strips and serve cold with sauce, wasabi and onions.
• 10 have each guest mix the wasabi and onions into sauce to eat hold the sauce cup in one hand. pick up noodles using chopsticks [right. i use a fork] and dip in end of dipping sauce. slurp in noodles with lips.
• 11 you can also use yuzu, lime rind, fine grated radish, thin sliced garlic or fresh grated ginger root with the wasabi and onions or in place of.