This simple Soba in Dashi Broth is light yet tasty and satisfying. There is minimum preparation work and it takes only minutes to cook.
With all the baking I have been doing lately, I now crave for something light and soupy. This Soba in Dashi Broth fits the bill. It is light yet tasty and satisfying. The dish is almost vegetarian except for the bonito flavoring in the soup.
I kept it really simple this time. There is no meat in the soup and so there is nothing from the freezer to defrost. A carrot and some green onions are all that is required from the refrigerator. The other ingredients used are dried ones stored in the pantry.
I usually make my own dashi (soup stock) with kombu (a kind of seaweed) and bonito shavings but this time I chose to use hondashi (instant dashi) for convenience.
Wakame is a deep green colored seaweed used in soups and salad. It has a subtly sweet flavor and a slippery texture. Wakame can be found either dried or fresh in refrigerated and sealed packages. Dried wakame is very light and needs to be rehydrated before use.
Soba in Dashi Broth
Ingredients
- 4 shitake mushrooms
- 1 tbsp wakame
- 12 oz soba (340g)
- 1 medium carrot (peeled and sliced thinly into rounds)
Broth
Garnish (optional)
- 3 green onions (finely sliced)
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Shichimi togarashi (seven flavor chili pepper)
- Katsuobushi (shaved bonito flakes)
Instructions
- Rinse and soak shitake mushrooms in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes to soften. Remove stalk and slice cap thinly. Reserve soaking liquid. Rehydrate wakame by soaking in a bowl of cold water for about 15 minutes. Drain.
- Bring a big pot of water to boil. Add soba, reduce heat, and stir frequently to prevent noodles from sticking. If it looks like the water is going to boil over, add ¼ cup (60ml) water to lower the temperature. Soba should be done in 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and drain. Divide soba into 4 bowls.
- To make broth, bring 6 cups (1.4 liters) water (including reserved mushroom soaking liquid) to boil in a medium sized pot. Reduce heat, add soy sauce, mirin, dashi, sugar, mushrooms, and carrots. Allow soup to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste broth and add salt if required. Add wakame. When broth comes back to a boil, turn off heat.
- Pour broth over bowls of soba. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, shichimi togarashi, and katsuobushi. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Here is a little trivia for you. Can you guess what this little gadget is used for? Ro-Ri San brought it home from one of his trips to Japan. It is a pretty handy tool which I use quite frequently.
Autumn is my favorite season but raking and gathering leaves can be a chore. It actually makes one glad when the snow finally falls.
Here are the “bags of fall”. Twenty one 30-gallon bags for just one weekend and more to come. Now you know why I have not been visiting your blogs as much as I would like to.
NOTE: This post was updated on October 24th, 2013 with new pictures.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Anncoo says
Oh Biren, Very nice presentation. I also posted Japanese cold noodle today ;D
I really don’t what’s that gadget for??? Might be something to do with grilling or putting fresh live seafood like IKA (octopus) ;DD
Biren says
Hubby and I like zaru soba ad I usually make it as a side dish in the summer.
The basket is actually quite small, only 3½” x 4½”. It is for something small that is used quite a bit.
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
Everyone at home, but hubby, would slurp this up with gusto, then ask for seconds! Looks so appetising – I would put lots of togarashi and sesame seeds on mine and my boys would go crazy with the bonito shavings 😀
I have no idea what that gadget/basket-y thing is for 😛 Is it for catching crabs or lobsters??
Do all those fallen leaves get turned into compost or recycled some other way?
Biren says
I like mine with togarashi too. I have a good supply of that right now as hubby bought the 300gm bags from Tokyo. Good thing sesame seeds are easily available here.
The basket is pretty small at 3½” x 4½”. Catching crab or lobster? 😀
The leaves are turned into compost by the city. This year they made us use those smaller and expensive bio-degradable bags. These bags are about 5 times the cost of regular plastic yard waste bags. We need to cut down more trees 😉
love2cook says
Never had this before…looks scrumptious! 😀
Spoon and Chopsticks says
Lovely!
I was watching a very similar recipe on a cooking show video yesterday. Maybe time for me to give this a try in my kitchen… 🙂
Devaki @ weavethousandflavors says
Dear Biren – What an explosion of flavors Biren – BTW, I am not going to even attempt to figure out what the basket is for…I am going to wait for you to educate me 🙂
I HAVE to make this for hubby soon…he would love this and sing your praise in all 4 languages (including japanese) 🙂
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Biren says
Hey Devaki, I will post the answer a little later so as not to spoil the fun for my other readers.
That’s too fuuny but it is wonderful that your hubby can speak 4 languages 🙂
5 Star Foodie says
Looks wonderful – the dashi broth sounds super flavorful!
kitchen flavours says
Looks delicious and your carrots are very pretty! No idea what the gadget is for! You have been busy, sweeping and cleaning. Good exercise, yah! But not for me, my back hurts each time I sweep my tiny little backyard!
Roxan says
WOW that is a lot of leaves. Did you jump through any of those piles? I’ve always wanted to do that… I haven’t had a yard in a while though, and even growing up when we had yards we didn’t get the leaves falling like that. I bet you are getting beautiful fall colors out there? The soup looks delicious, by the way. I ‘m having soba for dinner tonight too!
Biren says
Hey Roxan, you can come and jump through my piles and perhaps help bag some as well. We only managed to bag the ones in the front yard. Lots and lots more in the backyard. Yes, it is quite lovely at this time but the leaves are almost done by now. Lots of sunshine right now which is great!
I love soba. Just found out about ume somen which is pink in color. Tried to google it but maybe not sold here. Have you seen it in CA?
Mo says
I would love this! I normally don’t like mushrooms, but I absolutely adore shitakes so I love how the broth is made with the soaking liquid. 🙂
Hmmm, does the gadget have something to do with tea? I really have no idea. XD
tigerfish says
I am always craving for something savory, light and soupy! Hardly crave for baked goods though…except for the occasional craving for choc. cookies for midnight supper! hee heee
Joanne says
I can’t wait to see what you get from CSN!
Man does that dashi look good. I love how flavorful it can be!
Stella says
Hey Biren! First of all, sorry for being a-wall for a while! I’ve been so tired after the move, and it’s still not really done…
Second, this looks so wonderful. I’ve wondered about dashi before too. I’m going to have to make this…
p.s. I have no idea what purpose that tool serves;)
Biren says
Hey Stella! No problems. We all have things to attend to. I have been pretty pre-occupied myself these days. I am down to only two post per week and struggling at that.
Hondashi is very convenient to have in the pantry. Would be even better if you have some konbu strips as well. Makes a quick and tasty soup base for suimono (clear soups) and miso soup.
Will reveal the purpose of that tool in my next post 😉
Kamalika says
Lovely dish..is that the basket for frying?? Really waiting to know what it exactly is….
Biren says
I will reveal the answer in my next post 😉
Sommer @ A Spicy Perspective says
Our leaves are coming down like that. It takes a whole entire day to deal with them!
Love the noodle soup! I have no idea what that gadget is for, but it looks dangerous!
Biren says
Yes, it does take the entire day and more. Looks good for an hour and then down comes more leaves…..grrrr! Leaves always look so much better in the park or at the neighbor’s yard, don’t you think?
Dangerous? ROFL! That’s too funny!
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
Is it for roasting barley? Toasting rice or seaweed?? Grilling baby octopi???! Washing seeds or grains?? *Arggggghhhh* I can’t stand it when I can’t figure something out!!! 😛 Hmm….I’ll be back!
Biren says
Denise, you are getting close, real close but I like the idea of baby octopi 😀 Aren’t this gadgets fun? We will be so bad if we went to Williams Sonoma or Crates & Barrel together.
MaryMoh says
Oooh…I love soba noodles…a healthier noodles. The ones that I use is very dark in colour. I always cook it dry or sometimes with soup. Love yours. Looks very comforting and inviting. Would be great in this cold weather.
Biren says
I think the darker colored ones have more buckwheat flour which is good. Unfortunately there is still wheat flour in these noodles as the gluten is required to make them into noodles, I guess. Otherwise it will be great for those on a gluten-free diet.
Cooking it dry must be like making yakisoba. I love that too especially with fish cakes. Yes, it is comforting to have the warm soup in colder weather.
pigpigscorner says
Simple and yummy! Is that gadget for straining noodles???
Faith says
What a warm, delicious bowl of noodles! What an interesting gadget! Is it used for grilling?
lequan says
Oooh…your noodles look divine. It’s a bit chilly here right now so I would love to have a bowl of that! Noodle soup is definitely one of my favorite comfort foods, and the best part is that my kiddies love noodle soup too.
That is a lot of bags of leaves! I don’t think I would get any raking done as my kiddies would be jumping in the piles as soon as they’ve been raked. Good thing your boys are passed that stage. Oh and I have no clue what that basket-like thing is. looks like some kind of deep fryer to me, but I’m probably way off.
sensiblecooking says
oh boy you really got me on the gadget is it some kind of frying gadget. But the noodle soup looks so divine. Warm and yummy perfect for the weather now.
sensiblecooking says
oh boy you really got me on the gadget is it some kind of frying gadget. OK I give up what is it for? But the noodle soup looks so divine. Warm and yummy perfect for the weather now.
rebecca says
lovely soup my hubby loves this kind of soups I need to make them more often thanks for the feedback on the blog design, let me know when you add about page LOL
Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner says
Oh this looks soooo good. It’s a dish right up my alley! Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks for the recipe.
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
http://www.mawhats4dinner.com
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
Ok, this is my last guess, I won’t bother you again after this – just wait for the answer like a good girl LOL I think it may be a seed or grain sprouter…
Biren says
LOL! You are not giving up, are you? Answer will be out very, very soon 🙂 You are most WELCOMED here, as many times as you like.
Magic of Spice says
OK, I am in tear over Denise here 🙂 I am not going to even try to guess…But this dish looks so warm and lovely…
And I must say, if it were me I would not be able to see out my windows…due to the 7 foot high of pilling up leaves 🙁 Wow a lot of work!
Biren says
Denise is such a good sport 🙂 This is what makes blogging fun.
Yes, it is a lot of work, too much actually. My back hurts from the raking. It takes us half a day just for the front and sides of the yard with 4 pairs of hands. There is more to come as the leaves of the silver maples are still hanging on.
Kristi Rimkus says
What in incredible amount of leaves! We just moved to a new home, and I can see leaf raking in my future.
The soup looks savory and satisfying! As usual, your pictures do the soup justice. 🙂
Reeni says
Your soup is exactly what I have been craving too Biren! Warming and nourishing. Delicious! Is that some kind of gadget for grilling?
Sweet Artichoke says
OH waow! these soba noodles look awesome! and I am a great fan of wakame!
Can’t wait to see what is the use of this funny basket!! 😉
fenderbirds says
nice article, keep the posts coming
roclafamilia says
Helpful blog, bookmarked the website with hopes to read more!