This recipe for Cha Soba is a traditional, cold Japanese summer dish that is presented in individual bowls of various accompaniments that are added into the dipping sauce. It is a dish of thin Japanese soba noodles that are made out of buckwheat flour, and is infused with green tea. The addition of green tea adds a subtle yet elegant flavour when compared side-by-side with traditional soba noodles.
To eat, you have to hold the savoury soy and dashi-based dipping sauce in one hand, then pick a little bundle of noodles with chopsticks and dip into the seasoned sauce. This Japanese noodle dish is not only delicious and refreshing, but also easy to make! Just follow the steps below to prepare your own Cha Soba.
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 bonito flakes
- 1/3 cup shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
- 1/3 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- ½ tsp caster sugar
Preparation Method:
- Cook noodles in boiling water for 4 minutes or until soft, 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.
- 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.
- Pile noodles equally on plates, scatter with nori, then serve accompanied by individual separate bowls of dipping sauce, green onion, ginger and wasabi paste. Enjoy!
Simple yet delicious, this Japanese noodles dish will surely satisfy your tummy! If you liked this recipe for Cha Soba, be sure to check out these Japanese restaurants to visit for inspiration!
If preparing this dish is too much of a hassle for you, you can always order your meal via foodpanda and have it delivered to you in no time.