Toshikoshi Soba (New Year's Eve Buckwheat Noodles)
Serves 2
Soba are healthy, delicious, easy-to-make buckwheat noodles. Toshikoshi soba are a "year-crossing" version eaten in Japan on New Year's Eve. As family and friends slurp up the warm dish, they break away from misfortunes of the past year and look toward a new year of strength, resilience, peace, and prosperity.
Ingredients
- 1 4 x 4-inch piece kombu (dried kelp)
- 1 ounce dried bonito flakes
- 8 ounces dried soba noodles
- 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet japanese rice wine)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dried wakame seaweed (reconstituted and drained)
- 2 green onions (sliced thin on a bias)
- Nanami Togarashi (Japanese chili spice blend)
Directions
- Soak kombu and 3 cups water in a saucepan overnight (or a minimum of 20 minutes). After the soaking period, bring water and kombu to a boil over medium-low heat. Once water boils, discard kombu and add bonito flakes. Turn off heat and allow bonito flakes to steep 10 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles in cold water to stop the cooking and wash away extra starch. Divide noodles into two serving bowls.
- Strain broth from step 1 and discard bonito flakes. Return broth to saucepan and add mirin, soy sauce, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Pour hot broth over soba noodles. Top with wakame, green onions, and Nanami Togarashi.
Nutrition
Amount Per Serving (based on 2 servings)- Calories: 460
- Fat: 0.0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0.0 g
- Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
- Sodium: 1640.0 mg
- Carbohydrates: 99.0 g
- Fiber: 1.0 g
- Added Sugars: 0.0 g
- Sugar: 0.0 g
- Protein: 24.0 g