Can I Use Store-Bought Mentsuyu?

Pre-made mentsuyu (dipping sauce) is available but I find the flavors a little too aggressive. Homemade is milder, sweeter, all around better! It's not hard to make either, you just need time to let the ingredients simmer and the flavors develop. Make a big container of mentsuyu and store it in the fridge for up to a month. This way, next time you crave a bowl of zaru soba you will only need to boil the noodles and chop a few scallions (grated daikon is optional).

What is the difference between soba and zaru soba?

Soba refers to buckwheat noodles in general. Zaru soba is a specific dish made with cold soba noodles served with a dipping sauce.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Only if you use 100% buckwheat soba noodles and gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. Many soba noodles contain wheat, so check the package carefully.

Zaru Soba (Chilled Soba Noodles)

Name: Zaru Soba
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 7 ounces dry soba noodles; 1/4 cup grated daikon; 2 scallions, finely chopped; Wasabi paste; Shredded nori; 1 6-inch kombu (dried kelp); 1/2 cup Japanese soy sauce; 1/2 cup mirin; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 ounce bonito flakes or 3/4 teaspoon dashi powder (for vegan: use an additional 1 6-inch piece kombu)

Zaru Soba

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A traditional and delicious Japanese lunch, zaru soba is buckwheat noodles served with a simple umami packed dipping sauce.

Author: Caroline Phelps
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 people 1x
Category: Noodles
Method: Boiling
Cuisine: Japanese
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Units Scale

7 ounces dry soba noodles
1/4 cup grated daikon
2 scallions, finely chopped
Wasabi paste
Shredded nori

Mentsuyu Dipping Sauce

1 6-inch kombu (dried kelp)
1/2 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 ounce bonito flakes or 3/4 teaspoon dashi powder (for vegan: use an additional 1 6-inch piece kombu)

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Instructions

Strain some of the daikon water. Squeeze out half of the water from the grated daikon. you want to keep some of the water so it stays moist but remove enough so you can shape it into a little mound. Set aside.
Let the kombu soak. Add the kombu to a pot along with 2 cups of water, and set aside for 30 minutes.
Add some ingredients to the kombu water. Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar and bring to a boil.
Remove the kombu. As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove the kombu and discard it. Or, you can slice the kombu into to sticks and pan fry with a little soy sauce. Serve as a side dish.
Add bonito flakes (or dashi powder) and boil for 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and let sit for a couple of minutes, until all the flakes have sunken to the bottom of the pot. For vegan: add the kombu but do not boil. Instead, let the kombu steep for 10 minutes.
Strain. Strain the tsuyu into a container with a lid, let cool to room temperature, seal and refrigerate until cold.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to the instructions on the package (dry noodles usually take between 5-8 minutes to cook). Drain and rinse under cold water until the noodle are cold. Drain well and divide the noodles among two plates or shallow bowls.
Pour about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of tsuyu into a bowl for dipping the noodles and serve with a side of grated daikon, scallions, wasabi and nori. Add them to the dipping sauce before eating.

Notes

Save the sauce in a jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Save the leftover noodles in a storage container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Before eating the noodles, rinse them under cold water to separate them.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 564
Sugar: 35.7g
Sodium: 457mg
Fat: 0.9g
Saturated Fat: 0.2g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 117g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 21g
Cholesterol: 5mg

Find it online: https://pickledplum.com/zaru-soba/