Zaru Soba

Ingredients

• 7 ozdried soba noodles
• 1 cupkombu dashi
• 1/4 cupsoy sauce
• 2 3/4 tbspmirin
• 1 tspcaster sugar
• 1nori sheets, cut into fine shreds
• 2spring onions, sliced as thinly as possible
• 1 tspwasabi, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Bring the kombu dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar to a simmer, cook for two minutes to drive off the alcohol in the mirin, then chill it thoroughly.

2. 2

   Cook the soba in a large pan of unsalted boiling water for the time on the packet, stirring once at the start so the strands separate.

3. 3

   Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold running water, rubbing them between your hands, until the water runs clear and they squeak against each other.

4. 4

   Shake the noodles as dry as you can and pile them onto a bamboo tray or a plate, then scatter the shredded nori over the top.

5. 5

   Pour the cold sauce into small cups and put the spring onion and wasabi beside them, to be stirred in to taste. Dip only the ends of the noodles as you eat.