The Story of Soba: Japan's Favourite Noodle Migrates to Western Kitchens

Even though I love them all, when it comes to picking a noodle that's a cut above the rest,  the humble soba noodle from Japan comes in as the winner.

As any noodle lover knows, the world of noodles is a big one with almost every country having a traditional noodle deeply rooted in its history and culture.

Italy is known for its long pastas like spaghetti and linguini, Germany is noted for spatzle, and Hungary for its pinched noodles (or csipetke, as my Hungarian-born husband fondly calls them in his native tongue.) India is famed for a snacking noodle called Wai-Wai and nothing says China like chow mein, just to mention a few popular worldly picks.

Even though I love them all, when it comes to picking a noodle that's a cut above the rest,  the humble soba noodle from Japan comes in as the winner.

“Soba” is the Japanese word for the buckwheat plant which, botanically speaking, is a fruit and not a true member of the grain family like wheat, barley, oats, and other cereal grains. In Japanese, the word also refers to the popular soba noodle and flour from which it is made.

In the New World when someone mentions soba you can bet that they are referring to the tender, delightfully chewy noodle that is growing in popularity in North America at restaurants devoted solely to soba.

Because fast-growing buckwheat can shoot from seed to mature kernel in 75 days on even the poorest of soils and under the harshest growing conditions, for centuries it has held ground as a reliable, nourishing food plant in Japan with a remarkable reputation as being a life-saver in times of famine.

In the Western world of more recent years, word has been spreading that buckwheat is a super healthy food choice – one especially well-suited for those with grain allergies. Studies have shown that allergic reactions to buckwheat flour are very rare because it is gluten-free and not genetically modified. As well, buckwheat is not a true cereal grain as is wheat, rye, and oats – but rather a plant belonging to species related to sorrel, dock, and rhubarb, a family that has much less pollen which is a number one cause of allergic reactions.

Buckwheat is nutritious and offers a good source of protein. It also contains an abundance of vitamins, such as B1 and P; the latter is noted to help reduce blood cholesterol and lower pressure. Buckwheat is rich in dietary fibre and also dishes up amino acids, lipids, and minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphate, and iron.

And for folks trying to reduce or eliminate fat from their diet, the best news of all is that these tasty noodles are almost a hundred percent fat-free. Studies have shown that adding buckwheat to the diet not only helps the body function better, but also lifts the spirits and renews vitality. Ancient Japanese writings state that soba is beneficial for cleansing the liver, stomach, and intestines along with helping to relieve pain caused by arthritis and rheumatism.

Buckwheat has been cultivated in Asia for over 1,000 years. It was introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages and transplanted to the New World by settlers. Manitoba is the major producer of Canadian-grown buckwheat, followed by Quebec, and Ontario. There are various strains of buckwheat, but the authentic Japanese buckwheat is the type most widely cultivated in Canada.

You can buy many different brands of commercially prepared soba noodles which are usually sold in dried forms at most stores that carry Asian foods, but absolutely nothing measures up to making your own soba noodles at home and serving them super fresh in the same manner as Japanese cooks have been doing for hundreds of years.

Three Ways to Get Your Soba

1) Purchase noodles dried and ready made from health food stores – A highly recommended brand is Mitoko 100% Soba, a product made from fresh ground buckwheat flour and then prepared using the traditional roll and cut method. Also recommended is Orgran Stoneground Natural Buckwheat Pasta made from buckwheat grown in Australia.

2) Make Your Own Noodles – The rewards of making soba noodles are many. For one thing, they are economical, easy, and downright fun to make. Making soba noodles (a process the Japanese call “Te-uchi”, which means “beating the buckwheat") insures that you are feeding your family the freshest and best there is.

3) Search for Soba Noodle restaurants in the GTA.

The term "beating the buckwheat" refers to the fact that buckwheat does not stretch or bind easily and must be beaten or worked well with the hands to coax it to take on a viscosity that has almost magical powers. As the flour is worked, its water-soluble proteins break down and the dough begins to bind — a stage often referred to by soba experts as 'blossoming of the dough'.

When it comes to making soba noodles, take comfort in knowing that even if the first couple of batches aren't perfectly uniform in shape and size, they will still be quite edible and your effort and money will not have been wasted. Once you get the hang of rolling and cutting the noodles, they will be picture-perfect and delicious every time.

Soba noodles are as much fun to eat as they are to make. To help the body cool down in hot weather, the noodles are traditionally served icy cold on a zaru or bamboo-type plate or basket with chopsticks, and accompanied by little individual bowls of fragrant dipping sauce. Of course, soba shops around the world have developed hundreds of ways of garnishing the noodles with everything from grated daikon radish to tiny specks of nori (seaweed) confetti.

To warm the body during cold weather dining, soba noodles can be served in any rich broth or used in place of any other type of soup noodle. The most popular broth served with soba noodles, and used by authentic cooks, is one traditionally made from a base of soy sauce, mirin, and a scant amount of sugar which is fermented for at least 2 to 3 days prior to eating, in order for flavours to mellow like wine.

Below are the ancient recipes for traditional base and stocks which you will eventually want to sample. But to help get you started in the world of soba dining, I have also included a couple of super easy, modern-day, instant versions that are almost as good.

For instructions on how to make your own soba noodles, please see the end of this article.

To Cook Soba Noodles (fresh or store-bought)

As with any pasta, use plenty of water for cooking. A general rule of thumb is to use 4 quarts of water per 1 pound of noodles. Bring water to a rolling boil. Add noodles while stirring gently back and forth with a long wooden spoon. When the starch begins to dissolve, the water will turn milky. As the water reaches a second boil, it will start to foam and rise quickly to the top. Be ready to lower the heat to keep it from running over.

Once heat is lowered, simmer for 1 minute. A properly cooked soba noodle should be tender, firm, and chewy. Set strainer over another large pot and pour noodles into strainer catching the cooking liquid known as soba-yu. This liquid contains valuable nutrients, and can be used in the broth, or saved for another day's soup.

Empty the noodles from the strainer into a large bowl of cold water, and rinse well. This step firms up the noodles, and washes off excess starch. Rinse well. If you are serving the noodles cold, rinse in ice water, drain well, and chill until serving time. If serving noodles hot, they can be reheated by dipping into hot water or broth for about a minute.

Lin's Soba Noodles in Instant Broth

My all-time favourite way to enjoy soba noodles, this recipe is so versatile that no two bowls of soup ever have to be the same, and in my house they aren't. This serves 4 with seconds, depending on size of bowls. A wonderful way to warm up in winter.

1-1/4 pounds homemade soba noodles, cooked as directed above

Basic Instant Broth: Measure 6 cups of water (part or all can be the soba-yu or saved cooking water) into large soup pot. Add 4 dried shiitake mushrooms broken into small pieces, 2 ounces of bonito flakes, and 1 tablespoon garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Add enough soy sauce to turn liquid dark, about 3/4 cups. Stir in 2 tablespoons mirin (a rice vinegar available in health food stores), and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pinch of fresh finely grated ginger, and simmer another minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon chili oil, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve: place reheated noodles in soup bowls, and cover with broth. Garnish with finely sliced green onions, if you wish.

VARIATIONS: Be creative and have fun with this versatile recipe. Sometimes I add tender chunks of leftover cooked chicken, or other cooked meat. Other times I'll add prawns, snow peas, water chestnuts, sweet peppers, sliced daikon, cubed tofu, sliced celery, or anything else my heart desires, to the broth, and simmer until just tender-before serving over the reheated noodles. Doesn't matter what I put in, it's always good.

Ancient Fermented Flavour Base Recipe ...for Dipping Sauce and Broth

Every household in Japan has its special trademark for a home fermented flavour base. Here is a basic recipe that was handed down to me by the same Japanese cook who helped me make my first batch of soba noodles many years ago. Although the above instant recipes are delicious, and quite similar in taste, you may wish to try this traditional method for making dipping sauce and broth.