Japanese cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Kake Soba

Simple hot buckwheat noodles in clear dashi-soy broth, topped only with spring onions and nori.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g soba noodles (buckwheat noodles)
• 1.2 l dashi
• 5 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 sheet of nori
• 1 tsp shichimi togarashi (or chili flakes as a substitute)

Instructions

1. Bring dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar to a boil in a pot, reduce the heat immediately and let the broth steep uncovered for 8 min. until it tastes clear and strong.
2. Cut the spring onions into very fine rings, place in cold water for 2 min. and drain well so they stay mild.
3. Toast the nori sheet briefly over a flame or in a dry pan for 10 sec. until it crackles, and cut into narrow strips.
4. Bring plenty of unsalted water to a rolling boil and cook the soba in it for 4–5 min., adding a splash of cold water twice so it doesn't boil over.
5. Drain the noodles, rub them under cold water until they no longer feel slimy, then briefly warm them again in hot water.
6. Distribute the soba into four preheated bowls, pour the boiling hot broth over them and serve immediately sprinkled with spring onions, nori strips and shichimi togarashi.