All About Soba Noodles
While “soba” refers to the buckwheat grain, today soba is more synonymous with the buckwheat noodles enjoyed by Japanese locals as a daily meal as well as a special New Year’s Eve send-off with the symbolism of longevity. Here is a brief history of the noodle:
Soba History & All About the Buckwheat Noodles
Soba History
Soba, the buckwheat grain, originated in China and was brought to Japan towards the end of the Jomon period, around 300 BC. In the 700s, buckwheat flour was made to fight against famine as the flour was rich in vitamin B. Eating soba as noodles did not popularize until the 1200s when a Zen Buddhist monk came from China and brought the noodle-making techniques.
The monk, Shoichi-Kokushi arrived in Kyoto and taught those in his monastery how to make noodles from buckwheat flour and water. The dish soon spread to neighboring monasteries as monks and their staff learned the techniques. From there, the staff members expanded to their own shops serving soba noodles and sake to their customers.
How Soba is Made
Soba is made from two or three ingredients: buckwheat flour, water, and often a small percentage of wheat flour. You can enjoy it chilled with a dipping sauce or in hot broth. (Note that while soba is in the name of yakisoba and chukasoba, neither uses buckwheat noodles.)
It takes about three months for the buckwheat grain to be ready for harvest, which means it happens 3-4 times a year. Shin-soba is the name of soba made from the fresh harvest which produced a sweeter, more flavorful product.
Often you will see a percentage of buckwheat flour that ranges from 40-100%, with 100% buckwheat flour producing a slightly more brittle texture. As such, wheat flour rounds out the percentage to soften and add chewiness to the noodles. The most common combination is 80% buckwheat flour plus 20% wheat flour.
Like many crafts in Japan, the master of soba making takes years. Three years of training and 10 years to become a soba master. If you are looking for a great soba experience in Japan, look for the soba shops that feature the soba make rolling and cutting the dough to ensure the freshest soba experience.
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