Soba Noodles

[TJHarris]

I just came into 23# of organic soba noodles. Anyone have a favorite recipe?

Thanks,

PS: Soba Addict this is right up your alley.

[helenjp]

Cold, topped with finely grated daikon, a pack of natto (seasoned with soy and a touch of dashi or one of those sauce packs that come with it and mixed well before being dumped on the noodles), a scattering of finely chopped negi (Japanese dividing onion).

[Jinmyo]

Soba-zushi with shoyu-lime-chile dipping sauce.

[curlywurlyfi]

stir fry lots of chopped bok choi or cabbage greens in duck fat (or peanut oil in the unimaginable event of not having any duck fat) with masses of roughly chopped garlic, some red chilli flakes, some coarsely grated ginger. Add a little stock, fish sauce, soy to be about an inch deep on the bottom of the wok/pan. Meanwhile, cook soba noodles, drain, then toss into greens, add sesame oil if liked, swish about, serve. should be like a soupy stew. Can add tofu at stir-frying stage.

[torakris]

My favorite is simialr to Helen's with lots of grated daikon but with shredded shiso instead of natto. I also like it hot with tempura on top....

[torakris]

there are also a lot of good ideas in this thread:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=19628&hl=

[Carrot Top]

Soba-zushi with shoyu-lime-chile dipping sauce.

←

Is that a song title? Sounds great.

[TJHarris]

Thanks everyone. Appreciate the quick response.

[SobaAddict70]

I prefer zaru soba, with either chopped scallions, grated daikon, furikake or Mrs. Dash.

And then there's always soba, Honmura An style (shredded duck, in duck broth)

Soba

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Hey Anna N,

 

Would you mind sharing how you make those soba things delicious or even edible?

 

I bought some and still have all but one bundle and have been thinking of cooking them up for the raccoons, because my first attempt was horrible.

 

I don't like whole wheat pasta either, but I know we have a member who goes under the name "Soba Addict," so I'm convinced there must be something to this thing. 

[Anna N]

Hey Anna N,

 

Would you mind sharing how you make those soba things delicious or even edible?

 

I bought some and still have all but one bundle and have been thinking of cooking them up for the raccoons, because my first attempt was horrible.

 

I don't like whole wheat pasta either, but I know we have a member who goes under the name "Soba Addict," so I'm convinced there must be something to this thing. 

here you go but bear in mind that cold noodles are an acquired taste and that this dressing is one of many that can be found by googling.

[weinoo]

here you go but bear in mind that cold noodles are an acquired taste and that this dressing is one of many that can be found by googling.

Cold soba noodles are one of the great dishes of Japan, no?

 

Here in NYC, we have at least 2 or 3 places making them fresh on a daily basis.  Some of my favorite restaurants.

 

The packaged ones may indeed be not that great, with lots of other ingredients.

Edited March 27, 2015 by weinoo (log)

[Anna N]

Cold soba noodles are one of the great dishes of Japan, no?

 

Here in NYC, we have at least 2 or 3 places making them fresh on a daily basis.  Some of my favorite restaurants.

 

The packaged ones may indeed be not that great, with lots of other ingredients.

They are indeed. I enjoy them but I do know that they do not appeal to everyone. I like both the ones that come packaged with the seasoning sauce and the plain noodles for which you make your own toppings. But when a poster words a question in this manner:

"Would you mind sharing how you make those soba things delicious or even edible?"

I am guessing they are not likely to embrace them unreservedly. Hence my caution that they are not for everyone.

[rotuts]

I like these noodles

 

buckwheat

 

for me its about the 'sauce'

 

think cold 

 

http://www.beyondkimchee.com/buckwheat-noodles/

 

and these

 

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVjX6pBVVzkIA4hInnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsa3ZzMnBvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?_adv_prop=image&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&va=cold+noodles+peanut+sauce&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

[Anna N]

I like these noodles

 

buckwheat

 

for me its about the 'sauce'

 

think cold 

 

http://www.beyondkimchee.com/buckwheat-noodles/

 

and these

 

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEVjX6pBVVzkIA4hInnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsa3ZzMnBvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?_adv_prop=image&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&va=cold+noodles+peanut+sauce&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

Yep. Possibilities are endless.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Thanks Anna N, weinoo and rotuts,

 

For the helpful information on the soba noodles.

 

I also received a very informative PM from huiray, which leads me to believe that it may be my choice of the noodles themselves that was responsible for my initial dissatisfaction with the dish. I tend to be very thrifty, and he recommends that in this case, the more expensive ones tend to be better. Also I bought these in a Korean owned pan-Asian market, and huiray recommends Japanese brands. I just checked the plastic overwrap which I did save when I stowed the noodle bundles in a heavy plastic container in the pantry. They are indeed a product of Korea, so that may be part of the problem.

 

I've never had them in a restaurant, so I'm flying blind. It's been a while since my attempt, but I probably served them hot because of the alien nature of cold noodles to me. 

 

I will keep at it, once with the noodles I already own, and if that doesn't work, I'll get some more expensive noodles with the ingredients huiray suggests from Japan and try again.

 

Thanks everyone for your help in expanding my culinary horizons.    I love eG.

[Shelby]

Count me as one who doesn't care for soba.  I, too, have never had them in a restaurant.  When I made them here at home, they tasted.....well...old.  Or maybe musty?  I'm sure I probably bought the cheapest package.

[Katie Meadow]

If your buckwheat noodles were truly wheat-free and you really couldn't tell the difference between them and the typically available ones--which are made partly from wheat--anyone who avoids wheat would like to know what brand they are. For a period of time I was not eating wheat, and I could never find 100% buckwheat noodles. I eat modest amounts of wheat now, and I'm very happy about that, but there was a period of time during which $2.50 per serving would have been a bargain for a noodle that actually tasted like a noodle. (For those who don't know this, buckwheat is not a close relative of wheat and is usually okay for those who are gluten-free.)

[Anna N]

If your buckwheat noodles were truly wheat-free and you really couldn't tell the difference between them and the typically available ones--which are made partly from wheat--anyone who avoids wheat would like to know what brand they are. For a period of time I was not eating wheat, and I could never find 100% buckwheat noodles. I eat modest amounts of wheat now, and I'm very happy about that, but there was a period of time during which $2.50 per serving would have been a bargain for a noodle that actually tasted like a noodle. (For those who don't know this, buckwheat is not a close relative of wheat and is usually okay for those who are gluten-free.)

I'm sorry I couldn't give you a brand name. They were purchased in the Japanese aisle of an Asian grocery store and any brand name would have been in Japanese.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Ooh, ooh, ooh!

 

rotuts, This is not the brand of my soba noodles, but it IS the brand of Korean soy sauce that I buy.

 

I always bring the label back to the Korean grocery when shopping because I cant make sense of it. It almost looks like OKHJ or OIHJ? Anyway killer soy sauce in a liter bottle that's very good to me.

 

I like this soy sauce a bunch and would welcome any info for my unenlightened self as well as anything on soba.

 

Anna N has started another thread here: http://forums.egullet.org/topic/150914-crispy-sweet-potato-fries-using-japanese-style-sweet-potatoes/

Edited March 29, 2015 by Thanks for the Crepes (log)

[radtek]

A couple weeks ago I bought a pack of "Mana" brand soba at one the expensive Korean markets. Thought I had been fairly circumspect in my choice but after just looking at the package I see in this order: wheat flour, buckwheat flour, yam flour, salt and water. 

 

Labeled as Japanese style from a Korean-American import company but made in the PROC. 

 

The other Korean style soba with sweet potato I got from a large pack of "pyungyang mul naengmyon" where I just tossed the seasoning packets aside and used the noodle plainly instead. Not terribly impressed.

 

I prefer my soba cold and plain but not wet or soggy. I've had negative experiences with poorly drained soba at local Japanese restaurants where the cold noodles come out dripping wet and sitting in their own moisture. Probably made by cooks who have no cultural connection to Asia whatsoever.

 

Such a simple dish leaves little room for error but the rewards are great.

[FeChef]

Count me as one who doesn't care for soba.  I, too, have never had them in a restaurant.  When I made them here at home, they tasted.....well...old.  Or maybe musty?  I'm sure I probably bought the cheapest package.

I dont know what the sauce taste like but I cant get past the idea of eating cold noodles. In my mind i picture cold spaghetti and makes me cringe.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I was moved to venture to the kitchen to check my package of soba noodles.  The ingredients are wheat flour, buckwheat flour, salt, and water.  They are product of Australia.

 

So far I have served soba noodles only hot in broth, but I'm pretty sure they would be delicious cold with sesame dressing.

[weinoo]

Not the greatest picture, but what I have in my pantry right now.  The one on the left is from Australia, is organic, and lists 3 ingredients: wheat flour, buckwheat flour and water. The other 3 are from Japan; each has yam and salt, in addition to flour and buckwheat flour. AS a matter of fact, they are very high in sodium, which surprised me.

 

[Katie Meadow]

Udon noodles are also very high in sodium. Recently I've seen some Japanese noodles that are "low sodium" but have not tried them. It doesn't stop me buying them because they are so yummy but I never salt the water when I cook Japanese noodles.

I'm not sure I can tell the difference between the soba that has yam as an ingredient and the soba that doesn't. Is there a difference in flavor or texture that you notice?