Oh hi there, my fellow foodies! I’m here to share with you a classic Japanese dish that is perfect for all those summer days when you just want something cool and refreshing. It’s called Zaru-soba, and it’s essentially cold soba noodles served with a dipping sauce. But trust me, it’s so much more than that!
Zaru-soba (Cold Soba Noodles with Dipping Sauce)
First up, let’s start with the star of the dish – the cold soba noodles. And yes, they really are cold. None of that room temperature nonsense here.
To make these bad boys, you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- 2 bundles (around 200g) of soba noodles
- 6 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- Ice cubes
Instructions:
- Boil the water in a pot and add the salt.
- Add the soba noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Drain the noodles and rinse under cold running water until they are completely chilled.
- Add the ice cubes to the pot and let them melt. Once melted, add more cold water to make an ice bath for the noodles.
- Drain the noodles and transfer them to a plate or bowl.
Now that you’ve got your cold soba noodles on lock, it’s time to move on to the dipping sauce.
Dipping Sauce
Don’t let the name fool you – this sauce is a flavor bomb. It’s a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and dashi stock, and it packs a serious umami punch.
To make the dipping sauce, you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup of soy sauce
- 1/3 cup of mirin
- 1/3 cup of sake
- 1/3 cup of dashi stock (or water)
Instructions:
- In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and dashi stock.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and let it cool.
- Once cooled, transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serving
Now that you’ve got your cold soba noodles and dipping sauce ready, it’s time to serve them up in true Japanese style.
Traditionally, Zaru-soba is served with a little bit of wasabi (Japanese horseradish) on the side, along with some sliced scallions and grated ginger. You can also top the noodles with some nori (dried seaweed), sesame seeds, or shichimi togarashi (a Japanese spice blend) for a little extra flavor.
To eat, simply take some soba noodles with your chopsticks and dip them into the sauce. Slurping is totally acceptable here, so go ahead and make as much noise as you want!
And there you have it – Zaru-soba, the perfect dish for those hot summer days when you just want something cold and refreshing. So go ahead and give it a try – your taste buds will thank you!