Wash off surface thickness
The rubbing under cold water is more important for smooth, separate Soba than a long ice bath. Work carefully because Soba breaks easily.
Japanese Recipe
Zaru Soba
Rinse removes surface thickness and strengthens the pasta. The completely chilled dipsauce is based on Dashi, soy sauce, Mirin and sugar.
Total time
50 min
Calories
430 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Why this recipe works
Cold buckwheat noodles with Tsuyu for dipping
At Zaru Soba, pasta and sauce are served separately. Each portion is only briefly immersed in the strong Tsuyu, so that the nutty buckwheat aroma is preserved. Just as important as the dipsauce is the noodle technique: plenty of water, careful stirring and thorough washing under cold water give a smooth, elastic surface.
Quick Dinners
Lunch
Dinner
Pasta
Recipe
Zaru Soba
Zaru Soba are cold buckwheat noodles that are thoroughly rinsed and served with concentrated Tsuyu dip sauce, spring onions, Wasabi and Nori.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Cook Tsuyu basis
Boil up water, soy sauce, Mirin and sugar. As soon as the mixture is boiling again easily, add Katsuobushi, allow to flush up briefly and turn off the stove.
-
2
Pull dipsauce and cool
Let Tsuyu cool completely and then pour through a fine sieve. Keep cool for at least 20 minutes until serving.
-
3
Boil up plenty of water
Fill a large pot with plenty of water without additional salt. Add Soba and loosen it gently, so that the noodles do not stick together.
-
4
Cook Soba Closely
Cook noodles according to the package. When foaming heavily, regulate the heat instead of pouring cold water.
-
5
Wash the starch thoroughly
Drain Soba immediately and gently rub with both hands under cold running water until the water remains largely clear.
-
6
Cool and dry briefly
Place noodles in ice water for a maximum of 30 seconds, then drain thoroughly. Loosely spread on bamboo mats or flat plates.
-
7
Serve separately
Place Nori over the Soba. Fill Tsuyu in small bowls and reach spring onions, Wasabi and optionally Daikon separately; the noodles only immerse easily.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Zaru Soba
Use Tsuyu for dipping only
The sauce is deliberately concentrated. Just immerse the front end of a noodle portion briefly, instead of pouring the whole bowl over it.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace Katsuobushi with 15 g of dried shiitake and 8 g of kombu. Allow to pull both in the water and remove them before seasoning.
Place squeezed dry Daikon directly in the dip bowl. Its mild heat makes the strong Tsuyu fresher and lighter.
Nutrition per serving
430kcal
79.0 gCarbohydrates
18.0 gProtein
4.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Zaru Soba
The cold water removes loose starch from the surface, stops the cooking process and strengthens the noodles. Without this step they appear sticky and dull.
No. Many dried sobas also contain wheat flour for elasticity. In case of gluten intolerance, 100 percent buckwheat and a suitable processing must be specified.
It is a concentrated dipsauce and not a soup broth. The soba are only dipped for a short time, so that little sauce is absorbed per bite.
Sobayu is the starchy cooking water of the Soba. In Japan it is partly given at the end to the remaining Tsuyu and drunk as a mild warm finish.
Tsuyu can be cooked the day before. The noodles should be freshly cooked, because they stick together during longer storage and lose elasticity.
Keep cooking