Soba Noodles With Chilled Dashi

By Mark Bittman

Soba Noodles With Chilled Dashi
Sam Kaplan for The New York Times. Food stylist: Suzanne Lenzer. Prop stylist. Maeve Sheridan.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus 2 days' refrigeration
Rating
4(16)
Comments
Read comments

Grab-and-go offerings of picnicky food are almost universally mediocre and exasperatingly expensive. Resist the temptation to outsource and make your own. This recipe is built to last. You can make it a day or two ahead of time, or leave it out on the counter if you're going to eat these noodles within a few hours of making it.

Featured in: The Best Picnics Are Made at Home

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Ingredients

  • dried kelp
  • 4cups of water
  • ½cup dried bonito flakes
  • soy sauce
  • soba noodles
  • sesame oil
  • chopped scallions.
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To make dashi, combine a piece of dried kelp (kombu) and 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

  2. Step 2

    Don’t let the mixture boil; as soon as it’s about to, turn off the heat, and remove the kelp.

  3. Step 3

    Add ½ cup dried bonito flakes, and stir; let sit for a few minutes, then strain, add some soy sauce to taste and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

  4. Step 4

    Cook some soba noodles, and rinse under cold water to cool them down; toss with a little neutral or sesame oil to prevent them from sticking.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, pour some of the cold dashi into bowls and top with the noodles. Garnish: Chopped scallions.

Ratings

4 out of 5
16 user ratings
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Comments

SoonerChef71

Noodles should be ice cold vs. room temperature; a bowl of ice-cold water works nicely (after rinsing the noodles to remove most of the heat) Pro tip: remove all the ice cubes or ensure they are dissolved prior to adding the noodles -- ensures you don't have to pick out shards of ice If sesame oil flavor is too strong for you, feel free to cut it ~50% w/ another oil Traditionally, the noodles are dipped into the sauce, then slurped zealously to maximize flavor -- NOT spooned over the noodles

SoonerChef71

Noodles should be ice cold vs. room temperature; a bowl of ice-cold water works nicely (after rinsing the noodles to remove most of the heat) Pro tip: remove all the ice cubes or ensure they are dissolved prior to adding the noodles -- ensures you don't have to pick out shards of ice If sesame oil flavor is too strong for you, feel free to cut it ~50% w/ another oil Traditionally, the noodles are dipped into the sauce, then slurped zealously to maximize flavor -- NOT spooned over the noodles

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