Brown Butter Mushrooms, Greens, and Soba Noodles Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Should you rinse soba noodles? ›

Once cooked, quickly drain the noodles and rinse under cold water to remove the starch and prevent further cooking. Drain the water completely before you serve it cold or hot. To add flavor to the noodles, eat with grated ginger, chopped scallions, a dab of wasabi, shredded nori, or shichimi togarashi.

This ratio of buckwheat to whole-wheat flour can vary widely depending on the brand and variety. But a good rule of thumb is that the larger the percentage of buckwheat in the soba, the darker gray-brown the color will be.

On the plate

Soba noodles can be enjoyed both hot and cold. “In Kyoto, the most traditional way of eating soba noodles is seiro,” says Inaoka. “The plain buckwheat noodles are served cold with wasabi, Japanese green onions and a dipping sauce on the side, which is usually made with dashi and soy sauce.

As soba noodles are very delicate, gently wash the noodles together for about one minute with your hands. But do wash them thoroughly as this step also helps remove any starch left on the surface. This will prevent the noodles from sticking together and becoming one large clump when plate.

Soba noodles are a Japanese alternative to regular pasta. They're mostly made with buckwheat flour, which is both gluten-free and full of healthy proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Because of their buckwheat base, Soba noodles can be a healthier option than other types of pasta.

While Italian pasta can stand a bit of overcooking, most soba noodles will turn into a complete mess if you overcook them. So that's our main rule here: Don't overcook them!

Soba noodles are much more fragile than, say, spaghetti. They cook faster and are much more delicate. While Italian pasta can stand a bit of overcooking, most soba noodles will turn into a complete mess if you overcook them, even for a few seconds.

Udon, being made primarily from wheat flour, is a good source of carbohydrates, while Soba, made from buckwheat, is a good source of protein and fibre. Buckwheat is also typically gluten-free, making Soba a suitable option for people with gluten intolerance, while Udon noodles contain gluten.

Soba (そば or 蕎麦, "buckwheat") are Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small amount of wheat flour mixed in. It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a noodle soup.

The PPO enzymatic browning reaction in the bran particles leads to their deep color and the formation of numerous dark spots on the surface of the noodles, which causes their appearance to deteriorate. In fresh wet noodles, factors such as the color of wheat bran may cause browning or dark spots on fresh noodles.

What is another name for soba noodles? ›

While the term “soba” is sometimes chuka-soba (ramen) or yakisoba (fried wheat flour noodles), it most commonly refers to long, thin noodles made from soba (buckwheat) flour. Its appearance is similar to spaghetti, but with a slightly nuttier flavor from the buckwheat.

The fact that soba noodles can be served either hot or cold and in a myriad of different ways adds to its mass appeal. Soba noodles are a favorite of both locals and travelers to Japan due to their versatility.

Eating a bowl of buckwheat noodles before midnight on New Year's Eve is an old Japanese tradition that is supposed to bring long life and prosperity in the year ahead.

Although this goes against what you are taught in many Western countries about it being good manners to eat quietly, in Japan is customary to slurp noodles as you eat them. This is believed to help cool the noodles down, but it is also a way of showing just how much you are enjoying your meal.

When ready, immediately drain and rinse with very cold water to stop the cooking process. This will prevent the noodles from getting too soft. In a large bowl, toss the cooked soba noodles with the cilantro, cabbage, carrots, scallions, and the prepared dressing.

First make sure you rinse the noodles really well in cold water after cooking to get all the starch off, soba is very starchy and the starch is what makes them stick. Once you've done that you need to toss them in some sort of oil before putting them in the fridge.

Save the boiled water used for cooking hot soba (4), or drink as the leftover water has high mineral content and can be mixed in with the leftover koi dashi from cold soba dishes, a healthy and delicious way to finish your meal.