New Year soba noodles (Toshikoshi soba)

Ease:: Simple
Serves:: 4
Prep time:: 10 minutes
Cook time:: 10 minutes
Total time:: 20 minutes

Toshikoshi soba, or New Year soba, is a soba noodle dish eaten for dinner on 31st December every year in Japan. Make your own with this easy recipe.

Ingredients

noodle soup:

1.5L bonito or kombu kelp dashi stock

200ml soy sauce

100ml mirin

1 tbsp sugar

300ml tsuyu (optional)

noodles:

200g soba buckwheat noodles

100g spring onions

20g tempura flakes

150g kamaboko fish cake (optional)

Method

In a large pan, make your dashi stock: Add 100ml mirin and simmer gently for a few minutes. Now add 1 tbsp sugar and let it dissolve before adding 200ml soy sauce. This makes the soup for your soba noodles.

Cook the soba noodles: In separate pan bring 1L of water to the boil. Add 200g soba, stir them slightly to make sure they’re all spread out around the pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for around 8 minutes. Cooking times may vary depending on your noodles, so check the instructions on the packet.

Drain the noodles: and rinse them in cold water, gently rubbing the noodles to remove any excess starch on the surface. Next, thinly slice the spring onions and any other garnishes.

Garnish and serve: Gently re-heat the stock and pour into bowls, then add the noodles and garnish with your spring onions and tempura flakes.