Zarusoba Recipe

Name: Nagomi Japanese Restaurants Zarusoba Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 8 oz buckwheat soba noodles (dried or fresh); 6 to taste ice cubes; 4 cups cold water (for ice bath); 1 sheet toasted nori (cut into thin strips, kizami nori); 2 tbsp scallions (thinly sliced on an angle); 1 tsp wasabi (prepared paste); 2 cups dashi (ichiban dashi, kombu + katsuobushi stock) or prepared dashi; 1 tbs light soy sauce (usukuchi or regular); 1 tsp dark soy sauce (or additional regular soy sauce); 2 tbs mirin; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 0.5 cups grated daikon (lightly squeezed to remove excess water); 4 pieces tempura (shrimp or vegetable, for serving); 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Inspired by Nagomi Japanese Restaurant

Time40m

Serves2

Make Zarusoba Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Soba and assembly

8 oz buckwheat soba noodles (dried or fresh)

6 to taste ice cubes

4 cups cold water (for ice bath)

1 sheet toasted nori (cut into thin strips, kizami nori)

2 tbsp scallions (thinly sliced on an angle)

1 tsp wasabi (prepared paste)

Mentsuyu (dipping sauce)

2 cups dashi (ichiban dashi, kombu + katsuobushi stock) or prepared dashi

1 tbs light soy sauce (usukuchi or regular)

1 tsp dark soy sauce (or additional regular soy sauce)

2 tbs Mirin

1 tsp granulated sugar

Optional garnishes / sides

1/2 cups grated daikon (lightly squeezed to remove excess water)

4 pieces tempura (shrimp or vegetable, for serving)

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Mentsuyu (dipping sauce)

Make concentrated mentsuyu

Combine 2 cups dashi, 2 tablespoons mirin, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust: the sauce should be richly savory-sweet and slightly salty. Let cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so it's served cold or at room temperature.

Soba and assembly

Cook soba

Bring a large pot of water (about 4–6 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add the 8 oz soba noodles and stir gently right away to prevent sticking. Cook according to package instructions (typically 4–6 minutes for fresh, 5–7 minutes for dried) until just al dente — tender but with a slight bite.

Shock and chill

While the noodles cook, prepare an ice bath: fill a bowl with 4 cups cold water and ice cubes. When noodles are done, immediately drain them in a colander, then transfer to the ice bath and gently separate the strands. Chill for 1–2 minutes until noodles are completely cold. This stops cooking and firms the texture.

Drain and arrange

Lift the noodles from the ice bath, drain thoroughly and gently shake off excess water. Arrange the cold soba on a bamboo zaru tray or a serving plate in neat coils. Pat lightly with a clean towel if needed to remove remaining surface moisture.

Prepare garnishes

Cut toasted nori sheet into thin strips and place over the noodles. Put sliced scallions, a small dollop of wasabi, and optional grated daikon in small separate bowls or on the side of the zaru so each diner can add to the dipping sauce as desired. Toast sesame seeds briefly in a dry pan if using and set aside.

Serve

Pour a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of mentsuyu into individual dipping bowls. If desired, dilute each bowl with a little chilled water or ice depending on how concentrated you made the mentsuyu (traditional balance is 3 parts dashi : 1 part soy/mirin concentration — adjust to taste). To eat, pick up a small portion of soba with chopsticks, dip into the mentsuyu, then eat. Add scallion, grated daikon, wasabi or sesame to the mentsuyu to taste. Serve tempura alongside if using.