Original recipe by Cookingwiththehamster (video)
Zaru soba (ざるそば) is a Japanese dish particularly enjoyed during the hot summer season.
It consists of buckwheat noodles dipped into a flavorful cold broth called mentsuyu ("noodle sauce"), seasoned to taste with wasabi, ginger, daikon, and spring onion. The word zaru, on the other hand, refers to the bamboo basket in which the noodles are served.
The recipe serves two.
INGREDIENTS
250 g of soba
peeled and grated daikon
peeled and grated ginger
1/4 sheet of nori seaweed, cut into thin strips
finely sliced spring onion (green part only)
wasabi to taste
INGREDIENTS FOR THE MENTSUYU
200 ml water
100 ml soy sauce
75 ml mirin
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon of katsuobushi
1 piece of kombu seaweed
PREPARATION
- Start by preparing the mentsuyu: combine all the ingredients in a pot and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. Strain through a sieve into the appropriate ceramic bowl.
- Cook the soba according to the package instructions. Drain and immediately cool with very cold water, turning the noodles with your hands to remove the starch. Drain thoroughly.
- Arrange the soba on the zaru and garnish with nori seaweed cut into strips.
- Prepare a small dish with the condiments: daikon, ginger, spring onion, and wasabi. Season the cold broth with these ingredients to taste, dip the soba into it a little at a time, and eat.
