Seasonal pantry: Try some earthy soba noodles for your health

The three most common Japanese noodles, at least in the United States, are udon, a fat noodle made of wheat; soba, a thin noodle of buckwheat or buckwheat and wheat; and, of course, ramen noodles, made of wheat. Somen noodles, which are very white and very thin, are familiar to anyone who enjoys Japanese restaurants, as they are often included in the miso soup that accompanies many meals. Today, in the last of three Seasonal Pantry columns about Asian noodles, we look at soba.

Many people love soba because of their rich, earthy flavor, but others favor them because they are gluten free and highly nutritious, with all eight amino acids, including one, lysine, that is not in wheat. Soba noodles are rich in antioxidants, too, easy to digest, and contain about 100 calories for a 4-ounce serving.

Soba noodles are served both cold and hot, in salads, soups, and even neat, with a variety of optional toppings.

There are distinct regional variations and a variety of additional ingredients that are combined with buckwheat to add nuances of flavor.

In Sonoma County, look for soba noodles in the fresh noodle section of locally owned markets and Asian markets; you will find dried soba noodles either in the dried pasta section or, if the market has it, the Asian section.

If you are new to soba, experiment using such ingredients as seaweed, green onions, green tea, mild soy sauce, lime, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, wasabi, and dashi, the classic Japanese stock made with seaweed and dried bonito flakes. Once you know your way around soba’s flavor, you can experiment with other ingredients, though it is best to stick fairly close to those foods that would typically be used in Japan.

Julienned carrots and cucumber, fresh cilantro, New Mexico green chili powder and the yuzu vinegar produced by O Olive Oil & Vinegar of Petaluma all accent these noodles deliciously.

If - or, perhaps, when - you become a fan of soba noodles, you might want to invest in plates fitted with bamboo mats for serving the wet noodles in such dishes as Zaru Soba, which is served cold with a special dipping sauce.

Here is a classic Japanese recipe for cold soba noodles. It is typically served in hot weather but can be refreshing in the winter, too, especially when you’ve been cooped up inside because of stormy weather. It’s like a pretty little taste of sunshine. This version is inspired by several versions from various sources.

Zaru Noodles ?with Dipping Soup

Serves 4

For Tsuyu dipping soup (see Note below)

1/4 cup sake

1/2 cup mirin (rice wine)

1/2 cup light or sushi-grade soy sauce

1 2-inch square dried kombu (kelp)

1 cup dried bonito flakes

For the noodles

12-14 ounces dried soba (preferably 100 percent buckwheat)

3 green onions, trimmed and cut into thin diagonal slices

1 sheet nori, toasted over an open flame and torn into pieces

1 teaspoon lightly toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon powdered wasabi powder, mixed with water to form a thick paste

- Ice water

Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

While waiting for the water to boil, make the dipping soup. Put the sake into a medium saucepan, set it over medium heat and simmer for about 10 seconds. Add the mirin, soy sauce, kombu, and bonito flakes and simmer very gently for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside.

When the water boils, add the soba and stir until the water returns to a boil. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Working quickly, set a strainer or colander over a deep bowl and pour the water and noodles into it. Quickly rinse the noodles in cool water.

To serve, divide the noodles between four soba plates or put them into four deep ceramic bowls. Scatter each portion with green onions, nori, and sesame seeds. Set a little wasabi next to the noodles.

Strain the soup into a container and then divide among four small bowls. Add 1/2 cup ice water to each bowl.

Serve right away. Use chopsticks or even your fingers to dip a portion of noodles into the soup and enjoy.

Note: Instead of making a dipping soup from scratch - it is very easy to do - you can use a commercial Tsuyu. There are several brands, including the familiar Kikkoman. Just follow package directions.

Here is another classic way to enjoy soba noodles, though the soup is sometimes made with udon or other noodles. The name refers to the full moon, which the egg resembles as it is poached in the hot liquid.

Tsukimi Soba ?(Buckwheat Noodles ?with Poached Eggs)

Serves 2, easily doubled

8 ounces dried soba

3 cups dashi (see Note below)

1/4 cup sushi-grade soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

2 farm eggs, at room temperature

1 green onion, trimmed and cut into thin diagonal slices

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional

- Hot sauce of choice, optional

Fill a medium saucepan half full with water and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the soba and stir until the water returns to a boil. Cook until the noodles are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

While waiting for the water to boil, put the dashi into a small saucepan, add the soy sauce and mirin and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.

When the noodles are done, use a ladle to transfer about a cup of the cooking liquid to the dashi mixture and immediately drain the noodles but do not rinse them.

Working quickly, set the dashi over high heat and divide the noodles between two deep soup bowls. When the dashi boils, ladle all but about 1 cup over the noodles and carefully break an egg on top of each portion. Ladle the remaining liquid over the eggs to help set the whites and heat the yolk.

Scatter green onions and cilantro, if using, on top and enjoy right away, with hot sauce alongside, if you like.

Note: To make dashi, pour 3 cups of water into a saucepan, add a 2-inch square piece of kombu and 3/4 cup dried bonito flakes. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, use tongs to remove the discard the kombu, cover, and let cool. Strain the liquid into a clean container and use right away or refrigerate for a day or two.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including a new edition of “More Than Meatballs.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.