On episode of 5 of the Japanese drama, Good Morning Call, Nao wanted to eat soba with Uehara on New Year’s Eve. Curiosity got the best of me and I wondered if there was a significant reason for it or was it just a passing craving.
What does Soba on New Year’s Eve Mean in Japan?
After a brief search online, I discovered that there is a reason why she wanted it. Soba is a type of noodle made from buckwheat. Soba that is eaten on New Year’s eve is called Toshi-koshi. It means that the year is passing. The custom of eating soba noodles signifies letting go of all the hardships that happened during the year. The length of the noodles mean “longevity for the new year.” And I’m a sucker for symbolism, so I had to have some on New Year’s Eve.
The Search for Soba
I thought the meaning of the tradition was interesting. For I too wanted to let go of all the my 2016 hardships. And so I searched throughout my small city via internet (which is not always the best way) for a Japanese restaurant that serves it. Sadly, I only found one restaurant and I wasn’t too keen on the ingredients: Why did the menu list egg noodle instead of soba? Is there a difference?
Shopping for Ingredients
I don’t live too far from an Asian market. How difficult could it be to find what I need? It would just be a quick run to the store or so I thought. In order to make Dashi (basic Japanese stock). I needed Kombu (kelp) and Katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes). The kelp took a long time to find, I mean I kept looking at the nori and didn’t realized that it’s a seaweed like kelp. But the katsuboshi I couldn’t find and when I finally asked for help, they didn’t have it. I didn’t want to give up but if I ordered it online it wouldn’t have arrived in time. Suddenly like a ray of light shining from the heavens, an idea came to me. I remembered that a few weeks prior that my sister and I visited a Korean and Japanese store. I called and they had it.
Next, I needed the ingredients for kake jiru (basic noodle broth). I had everything for it (dashi, salt, soy sauce and sugar) except mirin (rice wine for cooking) and that was easy to find.
Lastly for the toshi-koshi soba, I needed Soba Noodles and Shichimi Togarashi (7 spice pepper). Another setback in my search for soba ingredients. I just want to make a soup! I looked at frozen noodles and I thought I found the buckwheat noodles and so I threw them in my basket. Next I looked for the 7 spice pepper. I found this 6 ingredient Chinese spice mixture (which turned out to be Chinese 5 spice with citrus peels included). Exhausted from walking around the whole store several times, looking for these ingredients with two impatient children, I gave up my search and accepted my fate.
The Soup Process
I wasn’t exactly sure how to do it. The cookbook I read had a primary dashi and a secondary dashi. So I did what I do best–I guessed. Dashi is surprisingly easy to make. The flavor by itself was sea-worthy. Not exactly what I like, but it taste great once the broth ingredients are added. Soba is too easy to make and too delicious not to try it. Let me know if you do! Or if you have your own recipe you cook.
Toshi-Koshi Mari Soba
Ingredients
- ---Dashi---
- 6 3/4 cup water
- a loose handful of shredded kombu kelp
- approximately 2 oz of Kastuoboshi dried bonito flakes
- ---Basic Noodle Broth kake jiro---
- 6 3/4 cup dashi
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp mirin
- ---Kake Soba---
- approximately14 oz of soba noodles
- 6 3/4 kake jiru
- 5 chinese spice to season
- topped with the cooked kelp from earlier.
Instructions
- 1. Place the kombu and the water in a large cooking pot. Heat on low simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Raise heat and remove the kombu before the water starts to boil. Place in bowl to save for later.
- 2. Place the katsuoboshi flakes to the pot. Bring to boil then remove from heat. When the flakes settle to the bottom. Remove by straining them (to get a clear stock). I used a colander and napkins.
- 3. Once done, return to pot.
- ---Kake jiro---
- 4. Bring dashi to boil. Add salt, soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Bring to boil again. Reduce heat to low for a simmer.
- ---Noodles---
- 5. Cook noodles according to package.
- 6. Place in bowl. Pour broth over. Sprinkle with 5 Chinese spice and kombu.
The Prepared Soup and Reaction
Place the noodles in the bowl. Pour broth on top. I used the cooked kombu as a topping and sprinkles the Chinese 5 spice over that. I’m not 100% sure what I made was soba, but I do know that it was good. The taste was odd. I never ate kelp before and the flavor was unique. But after a while, I adjusted. It was delicious. For some reason, I felt relaxed and calm after eating it. It’s as if all my worries from the past year really had vanished and I am ready for the new year. So without further ado, I share my accidentally delicious soba.
Inspiration for the name
While typing the recipe, I realized something. I made my own recipe. Not only that, but it turned out delicious too. I often feel I lack creativity, but I also often surprise my self. The inspiration for the name comes from the name of the New Year’s Eve soup and the first two syllables of my name. Plus, it flows nicely.
Reflection of 2016
As I reflect on the pass year, I realized that it was a year of growth. I feel as though 2017 will be continuation of that. The past couple years, depression consumed me and I am starting to come out of it, as difficult as it seems. Currently, my only goals are to make this blog successful and to get out of debt. What reflections do you have of 2016?