The Art of the Buckwheat Noodle
Soba are thin noodles made from buckwheat flour, giving them a distinctive nutty flavor, earthy aroma, and a slightly rough texture. As one of Japan's most traditional noodles, soba is enjoyed throughout the country in a variety of simple yet elegant dishes. It is a healthy, versatile noodle that can be enjoyed either hot in a savory broth or chilled with a dipping sauce.
Hot vs. Cold
Soba's versatility is one of its greatest strengths. It is equally delicious served hot or cold, with preparations changing with the seasons.
- Cold Soba (Zaru Soba): Especially popular in summer, the noodles are boiled, chilled in ice water, and served on a bamboo tray called a zaru. They are eaten by dipping them into a cup of a cool, concentrated broth called tsuyu, often mixed with condiments like wasabi and sliced scallions.
- Hot Soba (Kake Soba): In colder months, soba is often served in a bowl of hot, flavorful dashi-based broth. It can be served simply or with various toppings.
Popular Soba Dishes
- Tempura Soba: A classic combination where hot soba is served with crispy tempura, or cold soba is served with tempura on the side.
- Kitsune Soba: "Fox soba," topped with a piece of sweet and savory seasoned deep-fried tofu (aburaage).
- Toshikoshi Soba: "Year-crossing noodles." It is a strong tradition in Japan to eat a bowl of soba on New Year's Eve to symbolize letting go of the hardships of the past year and wishing for a long and healthy life in the new one.
The Art of Slurping
Like with ramen, slurping soba noodles is not only acceptable but encouraged. It's believed to enhance the flavor of the noodles and the dipping sauce by aerating them. It also allows you to eat the noodles quickly while they are at their ideal texture. At the end of a cold soba meal, it is common to be served the hot water the soba was cooked in (soba-yu). You pour this into your leftover dipping sauce to create a delicious, savory broth to drink.