Tanuki Soba (たぬきそば, soba with tempura crumbs)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Medium pot for dashi
• •Large pot for boiling soba
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth
• •Noodle strainer or sieve

Instructions

1. 1

   Steep the konbu

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in 4 cups cold water and bring it up slowly over low heat, about ten minutes. Pull the konbu when the water trembles and small bubbles climb the sides of the pot. Boil it and the stock turns bitter and a little slick, which is a poor trade for impatience.

   The white bloom on konbu is flavor, not dirt. Wiping protects the stock; washing throws away what you came for.
2. 2

   Add bonito flakes

   Bring the water just to a gentle boil, add the katsuobushi all at once, and take the pot off the heat. Let the flakes sink for two or three minutes without stirring. They're giving their aroma to the water, and rough handling only clouds the taste.

3. 3

   Strain the dashi

   Strain the dashi through a cloth-lined sieve and let it drip naturally. Don't squeeze the flakes. Squeezing presses out harsh, oily flavors, and tanuki soba needs a clean broth because the tenkasu will enrich it later.

4. 4

   Season the broth

   Return the dashi to the pot and add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar if using. Simmer for three minutes so the raw edge of the mirin cooks off and the soy settles into the stock. Taste it. It should be darker and firmer than a clear soup, but still dashi first.

5. 5

   Cook the soba

   Boil the soba in plenty of unsalted water according to the package timing, usually four to six minutes. Stir once when the noodles go in so they don't cling. Taste early. Soba should be tender but still carry its buckwheat bite, not collapse into softness.

6. 6

   Rinse and warm

   Drain the soba and rinse it under cold running water, rubbing gently to remove surface starch. This feels odd for a hot noodle dish, but it keeps the broth clear and the noodles clean. Dip the rinsed soba briefly in hot water to warm it again, then drain well.

7. 7

   Assemble the bowls

   Divide the hot soba between two warmed bowls and ladle the dark broth over it. Scatter tenkasu over the surface, then add the sliced scallion. Serve at once with shichimi tōgarashi on the side. The first spoonful should be crisp at the edges; the last should be richer from the crumbs that have softened.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh tenkasu from a tempura shop is best, because it tastes clean and faintly sweet from the batter. If using bagged agedama, smell it before it goes near the bowl. Old oil announces itself.
• •For a meatless table, make the dashi with konbu and dried shiitake. Soak both in cold water overnight, warm gently, then remove before boiling. Temple kitchens know this path well; it's honmono, not a compromise.
• •Warm the bowls before serving. Hot broth cools quickly against cold ceramic, and soba is best eaten while the noodles still feel lively.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi can be made up to two days ahead and kept refrigerated. Season it as tsuyu when you're ready to serve.
• •The broth can be seasoned a day ahead. Reheat gently and taste before serving, because chilled broth can seem quieter than hot broth.
• •Cook the soba just before eating. Cooked soba loses its clean texture as it sits, even when rinsed properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 780g)