Soba – One of Typical Japanese Food | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan

Soba – One of Typical Japanese Food

By Guidable Writers Nov 8, 2016

Have Some Soba, Both Hot and Cold

Soba aka Japanese noodles are well known for one of traditional food in Japan. It is made from buckwheat flour, water, etc. and especially popular in Eastern Japan. Buckwheat flour is also known as rich in nutrients, and it is recommended to have soba positively. There are several variations of toppings, and you can eat soba both hot and cold. Therefore, shin soba (new crop soba) season is also upcoming, and it is about time to experience soba culture.

soba1

(Photo by Yuko)

 

Another Must-Try at Soba Restaurants

Not only hot/cold soba, each soba restaurant also has its another must-try. It comes from its broth, and the must-try could be tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) seasoned by broth, curry soba, etc. You might be unbelievable that soba restaurants serve soba with curry soup, but the soup also seasoned by broth and many restaurants are proud of their curry flavor. Basically curry soba is served at restaurants in business districts, and tamagoyaki is served at traditional soba restaurants. Moreover, some restaurants serve ramen and it is sometimes their signature along with soba.

soba2

(Photo by Yuko)

 

Try Sobayu, Hot Buckwheat Water

If you have visited soba restaurants, you might see the kettle came with your soba. The inside is sobayu, hot water after soba has been boiled. Because several nutrients are dissolved into hot water while soba is being boiled, sobayu is the best way to take in all its nourishment. Sobayu usually served with cold soba because the people mix dipping sauce with it to taste the sauce, but you may request it though you order hot soba. Of course it is free of charge. If you like shochu, you may replace dipping sauce for soba shochu.

soba3

(Photo by Yuko)

 

Sorry If You Have Buckwheat Allergy

Soba is well known as it is quite healthier than ramen and udon, however, it is also known for the food contains allergen. Not only soba, other foodstuff made from buckwheat is same, too. Moreover, people with buckwheat allergy can’t accept restaurants which serve both udon and soba because these noodles could be boiled in the same pot, and though they eat udon, they might take allergen at the same time. Therefore, steam from cooking liquid is not acceptable neither, and they have to avoid soba restaurants as possible they can. Of course they can’t use the pillow with buckwheat husks. In the worst case, the allergy brings them a matter of life and death. If you or your friends have buckwheat allergy, you need to pay attention to it carefully.

 

Yuko

Japan