The Noodles
Soba noodles, which are native to Japan, are made from buckwheat flour, called soba-ko, and wheat flour, called komugi-ko. Soba noodles are about as thick as spaghetti and served hot and cold. A simple soba dish might be noodles tossed with soy sauce alone or with thin slices of green onion, ginger pickle or cucumber.
On New Year’s Eve, some Japanese eat a dish known as toshikoshi soba, or year-crossing noodles, that can easily be made at home.
The noodles represent long life. They are also said to bring prosperity because in the past, silversmiths and goldsmiths used to pick up the scraps of metal in their workshops with soba noodle dough.
Year-crossing noodles call for soba noodles to be coiled into a soup bowl. The noodles are then topped with steamed spinach, a poached egg and slices of Japanese fish cake known as kamaboko. Last, the noodles receive a pour of dashi, the classic Japanese soup stock made from kelp and shaved bonito fish flakes. Dashi made from scratch has a subtle, refined flavor, but for home cooking ease, powdered dashi — just add water, mix and simmer — is more than acceptable.
The Noodles
