Soba In Broth Recipes

SOBA NOODLES IN BROTH WITH SPINACH AND SHIITAKES

Steps:

• Place the kombu and shiitakes in a large bowl, and cover with 4 1/2 cups hot water. Soak for 30 minutes. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer, then rinse. Remove the mushroom stems and discard. Slice the caps thinly.
• Meanwhile, cook the soba noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the soba. As the water comes back to a boil, add 1/2 cup of cold water to prevent it from boiling over. Allow to come back to a boil again, and add another 1/2 cup of cold water. Check for doneness, and if necessary bring back to a boil one more time and add another 1/2 cup of cold water. The soba should be tender all the way through but al dente -- slightly firm to the bite. Transfer immediately to the ice water, and allow to cool for a few minutes, then drain.
• Bring the water back to a boil, salt generously and add the spinach. Blanch for one minute, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess liquid, and cut the squeezed bundle of spinach into four pieces.
• Divide the noodles, spinach, mushrooms and green onions among four large soup bowls. In a saucepan, combine the soaking water from the kombu and mushrooms, the sake, mirin and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour over the ingredients in the soup bowls, and serve at once.

SOBA NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oven (or a toaster oven) to 300. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In another large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil; stir in the bonito flakes, turn off the heat and steep for 10 minutes, no more. Strain into a large bowl; discard the flakes.
• Put the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and a pinch of salt in the pot you used to make the broth; bring to a boil. Let it boil for a minute, then add the bonito stock; bring it back to a boil, and transfer 6 cups to a separate pot and keep hot. (This will be the broth for the soup; what remains is for cooking the eggs.) Toast the nori in the oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Cut into quarters and set aside. Crack the eggs into a bowl or a large measuring cup with a spout and beat until frothy.
• Cook the noodles in the boiling water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain, quickly rinse under cold running water and drain again. Put a portion of noodles into each of four soup bowls. Using a circular pouring motion, slowly stream the eggs, 1/3 at a time, into the smaller amount of boiling broth; as the first third sets, add the second; as the second sets, add the third, then turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for a minute. In the meantime ladle the stock (the one without the eggs in it) over the noodles. Use a slotted spoon to scoop a portion of the egg into each bowl, garnish with the nori and scallions and serve.

SOBA IN BROTH

Steps:

• preheat broiler.
• spray shiitake with cooking spray, season with salt and pepper, broil about 5 minutes until mushrooms are browned.
• remove and slice.
• stir sugar into soy sauce and mirin, set aside.
• cook soba noodles according to package directions.
• into boiling water add dashi.
• add tofu and shiitake, simmer for 2 minutes.
• add spinach.
• place soba into 4 deep bowls.
• spoon dashi over noodles sprinkle with scallions, garnish with nori.
• pass soy sauce mixture alongside.

SOBA NOODLES WITH GINGER BROTH AND CRUNCHY GINGER

Steps:

• First, prepare the toppings: Add 4 tablespoons oil to a large skillet and heat gently over medium. Place the red-pepper (chilli) flakes and paprika into a small heatproof bowl. Once the oil is quite hot but not smoking, pour it over the spices. Set aside to infuse as you make the ginger crumbs.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high. Once hot, turn the heat back down to medium and add the ginger and shallot. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until nicely browned and starting to crisp. Add the panko, sesame seeds and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes more, stirring often, until nicely toasted. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the broth: Add all the broth ingredients plus 3/4 cup/200 milliliters water and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium lidded saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover once simmering, turn the heat down to low and cook for 25 minutes. Drain through a sieve set over a bowl, discarding the solids, and return the broth to the saucepan along with another 1 1/4 cups/300 milliliters hot water. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
• Prepare the noodles: Boil them in a pot or saucepan according to package instructions, or for 5 minutes in plenty of boiling water. Drain well and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Return the drained noodles to the pot or saucepan and toss with the lime juice, soy sauce and cilantro (coriander).
• Divide the warm broth across four bowls, then use a fork to twist and gather the noodles and nest them artfully in the bowls. Top with a spoonful of the ginger crumbs and the chile oil, serving the remaining alongside.

COLD SOBA BROTH

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring dashi, soy sauce, and mirin to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and add katsuobushi; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 3 minutes.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Strain dashi mixture into bowl and set bowl in ice-water bath until cool.