Fast Recipes

Cha soba noodles with traditional accompaniments

Australian Gourmet Traveller fast Japanese recipe for cha soba noodles with traditional accompaniments

By Sophia Young
  • Serves 6
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Cha soba noodles with traditional accompaniments
This traditional, cold Japanese summer dish is presented with individual bowls of various accompaniments that are added to the dipping sauce, according to the eater's palate. To eat, the dipping sauce is held in one hand, while a little bundle of noodles, held between chopsticks is dipped into the seasoned sauce. If preferred, the noodles can be tossed with the sauce.

Ingredients

  • 400 gm dried green tea soba noodles
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 40 gm sesame seeds, roasted
  • 1 sheet nori (compressed seaweed sheets)
  • 4 green onions, finely chopped
  • 3 cm piece of ginger, cut into julienne
  • To serve: wasabi paste
Dipping sauce
  • 1 tbsp kezuri-bushi (bonito flakes)
  • 1/3 cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
  • 1/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
  • ½ tsp caster sugar

Method

Main
  • 1
    Cook noodles in boiling water for 4 minutes or until al dente, drain and rinse under cold water, then drain well. Transfer to a bowl and toss with sesame oil and seeds. Carefully hold nori sheet, between tongs, over a medium gas flame, for 1 minute or until roasted. Cool, then using kitchen scissors, cut into 2mm-wide strips.
  • 2
    For dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and 1½ cups water in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat, cool, then strain through a fine sieve.
  • 3
    Pile noodles equally on plates, scatter with nori, then serve accompanied by individual separate bowls of dipping sauce, green onion, ginger and wasabi paste.