Japanese Recipes - Cold Soba Noodles with Assorted Topping Japanese Recipe

  
 

Japanese Appetizers, Soups and Noodles Recipes - Cold Soba Noodles with Assorted Topping Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 packet dried soba noodles or buckwheat pasta (about 7 oz/200 g)

  • 2 cups (500 ml) Cold Soba Dashi Broth (see recipe)

Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms

  • 12 dried Chinese black mushrooms, rinsed and soaked in 3/4 cup (185 ml) water for 10 minutes to soften, stems discarded and soaking liquid reserved, or 20 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, soaked in 1/2 cup (125 ml) water

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce

Tempura Fritters

  • 1/2 burdock root (about 3 1/2 oz/100 g), peeled and grated 1 small carrot, peeled and grated

  • 1 onion, very thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon minced mitsuba or parsley leaves

  • Oil, for deep-frying

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 4 tablespoons ice water

  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch

Toppings

  • 4 teaspoons wasabi paste

  • 4 heaped tablespoons finely shredded nori

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten, fried as a thin omelet, then very thinly sliced

  • 8 shiso leaves, very thinly sliced

  • 2 spring onions, white part only, finely sliced into shreds

  • 1 1/4 oz (40 g) salmon or tuna, poached and flaked or 3/4 (20 g) salted salmon flakes (shio zake)

  • 2 tablespoons konbu tsukudani (kelp simmered in soy sauce, mirin and sugar)

Method:

  1. Boil the noodles in plenty of lightly salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, uncovered, drain and chill in cold water. Drain again and refrigerate. Simmer the Cold Soba Dashi Broth (see recipe) over medium-high heat for 10 minutes and set aside.

  2. To cook the Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool. Drain and slice the mushroom caps very finely.

  3. Prepare the tempura batter by mixing the egg yolk, ice water and cornstarch in a bowl and stir briskly. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Heat the oil in a frying pan until very hot. Combine and mix the tempura vegetables in a bowl. Take a small handful of the vegetables and dip it in the batter, remove with a slotted spoon. Gently slide the vegetables into the hot oil and deep-fry until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

  4. When serving, arrange small portions (enough for two mouthfuls) of the noodles in small bowls. Pour a little broth over the noodles and add the preferred combination of Toppings. Repeat, varying the combination of Toppings.