Japanese buckwheat noodles are made by mixing buckwheat and wheat flours and kneading the dough with water, then cutting it into thin strips. It has been eaten in Japan since ancient times, and each region has its own unique flavor and way of eating it. Japanese soba is characterized by its high nutritional value and refreshing flavor. The following is a brief history of Japanese soba, its varieties, and how to eat it.
History of Japanese Soba
The history of Japanese soba dates back to the Heian period (794-1185), when soba was most commonly eaten as “soba-gaki” or “soba-yaki,” and was highly prized by the aristocracy. In the Edo period (1603-1867), the current style of soba, called soba-kiri, was established, and soba became popular among the general public. Even today, Japanese soba is a familiar part of the Japanese food culture.
Types of Japanese Soba
There are various types of Japanese soba depending on its origin and production method. Typical examples are as follows
- Seiro soba: This type of soba has a high percentage of buckwheat flour and has a strong texture and aroma. It is served in a bamboo bowl called seiro. It can be eaten cold or hot.
- Zaru soba: Seiro soba is served cold and served on a net called a zaru. It is served with dipping sauce. This type of soba is popular in summer.
- Kake-soba: Soba noodles boiled and served with hot dipping sauce. Ingredients include green onions, tempura, and eggs.
- Bukkake-soba: Boil soba noodles, rinse them in cold water, and pour cold dipping sauce over them. Ingredients include green onions, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), grated radish, etc.
- Hiyamugi: Soba made with a low percentage of buckwheat flour and a high percentage of wheat flour. It is characterized by thick, white noodles. It is eaten cold with dipping sauce.
- Soba Gohan (buckwheat rice): Soba noodles are made by frying buckwheat seeds and mixing them with rice. Seasoned with salt or soy sauce. It is eaten with buckwheat tea.
How to Eat Japanese Soba
The way to eat Japanese soba varies depending on the type, but the basic manners and ways to enjoy soba are as follows.
- Dip each bite of soba into the dipping sauce. Be careful not to soak the soba too much in the dipping sauce, as this will dilute the flavor.
- Soba should be slurped. By slurping, the aroma and flavor of the soba can be more fully appreciated. It is not bad manners to make a slurping sound.
- Soba should be eaten by lifting it up with chopsticks. It is not good manners to eat soba with your hands.
- When you have finished eating your soba, you should drink the dipping sauce. Sobayu, the water that comes out of the soba when it is boiled, is added to the dipping sauce. Sobayu contains the nutrients and aroma of the buckwheat.
- Soba is eaten with yakumi (condiments). Yakumi includes green onions, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), grated daikon (grated radish), and shiso (perilla). Yakumi can enhance or refresh the taste of soba.
Japanese soba is a nutritious and refreshing food. You will love Japanese soba even more if you learn about its history, varieties, and how to eat it. If you travel to Japan from abroad, please try Japanese soba.
