Yakisoba translates to stir-fried noodles. It is one of Japan’s most beloved comfort foods with its origins in China with the equally famous chow mein. Learn the centuries-old yakisoba history and how it has evolved over the years.
The Origins of Yakisoba
Yakisoba’s history starts with the noodle itself. The soba noodle originates from China where the Chinese were making buckwheat flour noodles since 10,000 B.C.
Fast forward to the 4th century when Chinese traders brought soba noodles and the fatter udon noodles to Japan.
Fast forward even further, the Meiji period in the 19th and 20 centuries opened up ports that brought in Chinese traders and immigrants. At these port cities, Chinese dishes were served to fellow Chinese and later to Japanese workers, who in turn adapted and localized the dishes, like the stir-fried noodles (and also the ramen) which was named yakisoba in the 1930s.
After the end of World War II, yakisoba veered away from any traces of chow mein and became defined as the Japanese dish it is today.
American troops in Okinawa left food supplies for the locals including spaghetti noodles and Worchestershire sauce with which became the essentials for yakisoba. Additionally, to extend the noodle, meat bits, and cheap vegetables, like cabbage, were added for substance.
From there, yakisoba became the essential snack dish with a sweet, savory, and tangy flavor that was practical, inexpensive, and so fast to cook.
Yakisoba’s Evolution in Japan
From chow mein to the 1950s popularization of yakisoba brought countless regional yakisoba dishes all throughout the country.
While protein, cabbage, onions, carrots, bean sprouts, and the Worchestershire (aka, tonkatsu) sauce comprise the basic yakisoba, regional versions include different sauces, varying noodles like udon, and other vegetables.
Note: The name soba doesn’t necessarily mean using buckwheat soba noodles. Most often, it is more like ramen noodles.
As for the dish itself, yakisoba can either be a main dish that’s complete with carbs, protein, and fiber, or a side dish. And like many fast-cooking noodle dishes, yakisoba is considered cheap, fast street food that’s commonly seen in festivals and outdoor food stalls.
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