Topped with crispy shrimp tempura, fish cake and sliced scallion, this steamy bowl of Soba Noodle Soup is one of my favorite dishes to enjoy on the New Year’s Eve.  In Japan, it is a tradition to eat soba noodles on this day.

Soba Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups water (4 cups = 1000 ml)
• 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (4" x 3” = 10 cm x 8 cm)
• 1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (1 cup = 10 g)
• 2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt (kosher or sea salt; use half if using table salt)
• 7 oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) (7 oz = 200 g)

Toppings

• 1 Kamaboko (fish cake)
• 2 frozen shrimp tempura
• 1 bunch komatsuna (or spinach)
• 1 green onion/scallion (or Tokyo negi) (1 scallion = 3" Tokyo negi)
• Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (or Ichimi Togarashi) (See Notes)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. [Optional] Soak kombu in water overnight (if you have time).
2. Transfer kombu and water into a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil. When it’s almost boiling, remove kombu from water and discard.
3. Add katsuobushi and simmer for 30 seconds. Then turn off the heat and let katsuobushi sink to the bottom of pan. Let Katsuobushi steep for about 10 minutes.
4. Strain the dashi over a large strainer lined with a paper towel set over another saucepan. Gently twist and squeeze the paper towel to release any remaining dashi into the saucepan.
5. Add mirin, sake, soy sauce, and salt in the dashi and bring the soup to a boil. Set aside until warming up later.
6. Insert a knife at the bottom of kamaboko to separate it from the wooden board. Then cut the kamaboko into ¼” slices.
7. Slice green onion thinly and cut komatsuna into 2 inch pieces.
8. Boil the komatsuna in salted water. I first boil the hard bottom parts of komatsuna since they take longer to cook. Then add the leafy part later. Once they are tender, take them out and soak in ice water to stop cooking. Drain well.
9. Bake shrimp tempura at 400F (200C) for 15 minutes, or according to the package instructions.

   
10. Meanwhile boil two large pots of water (See Note). One for cooking soba noodles and the other pot for warming up the noodles after washing them. Cook soba according to the package instructions less 30 seconds*. Mine says cook for 4 minutes, so I cook 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Unlike pasta, you do not need to add salt to the water.
11. Drain the soba noodles and wash the noodles with hand under cold water to get rid of slimy texture.
12. Then transfer the soba noodles into the other pot of boiling water to warm up the noodles again. Once they are warm, drain and place them into a serving bowl.
13. Pour hot soup over the noodles and place toppings. Sprinkle shichimi togarashi or ichimi togarashi if you like it spicy. Serve immediately.

    

https://www.justonecookbook.com/soba-noodle-soup/