Buckwheat noodles
Instructions:
- Usually served cold, these noodles make a tasty and light luncheon dish or snack.
- 200 g (7 oz) Japanese buckwheat noodles (soba);
- 2 sheets nori;
- 4 small fish cakes (chikuwa);
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) dashi;
- 3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (shoyu);
- 3 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry;
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger or wasabi paste;
- 3 spring onions, very finely sliced.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop in the noodles. When the water returns to the boil add 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) cold water and bring to the boil again. Cook until the noodles are tender enough to bite - about 2 minutes. Run cold water into the pan. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water 2-3 times until the noodles are completely cold. Drain well.
- Toast the nori briefly over a gas flame on one side only. With scissors, cut nori into fine strips or small squares.
- Cut the fish cakes into thick slices.
- Arrange the cold noodles on individual plates. Scatter nori over the noodles and place slices of fish cake on the side of the plate.
- Heat dashi, shoyu and mirin in a small pan. Cool. Pour into individual sauce dishes. Put small portions of ginger and spring onions on each plate for seasoning the sauce. Dip noodles into the sauce before eating.
- Note: Dashi is a light stock flavoured with dried kelp and flaked bonito. Instant dashi (powder or liquid) is sold in all Japanese stores. Serves 4