Sansai soba
Buckwheat noodles with mountain vegetables
Sansai soba (山菜そば): Tohoku buckwheat noodles in hot kombu-shiitake broth with wild mountain vegetables
In the mountains of Yamagata, Akita and Nagano, spring brings sansai, the wild shoots foraged from the hillsides: bracken, royal fern, nameko and more. Station-side soba shops serve them on hot buckwheat noodles all year, using salted or boiled sansai packed for winter. This version uses a kombu and shiitake broth instead of the usual bonito dashi, and sugar in place of mirin, so it is vegan and alcohol-free. A bowl gives about 14 g of protein from the buckwheat noodles, mushrooms and soy, so it is not high-protein. Most soba contains wheat; 100% buckwheat noodles are needed for a gluten-free bowl, along with tamari. The common mistake is putting boiled noodles straight into the broth: their starch clouds and thickens it. Chef's tip: rinse the cooked soba under cold water, rubbing it gently, then dunk it in hot water to rewarm before it goes in the bowl.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
For the bowls
- 11 ½ oz dried soba noodles
- 7 oz boiled mixed sansai (mountain vegetables)from a pouch or jar, drained; check the packing liquid has no fish
- 2 spring onionsthinly sliced
- 1 pinch shichimi togarashi (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Soak ½ oz kombu and 4 dried shiitake mushrooms in 1.3 litres water for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Heat slowly over a medium-low heat and take out the kombu just before the water boils. Simmer the shiitake for 5 minutes, then lift them out, slice thinly and keep them for topping.
10 minStep 3: Stir ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 ½ tbsp sugar and ½ tsp salt into the broth and keep it hot without boiling. Taste: it should be savoury and gently sweet. Rinse 7 oz boiled mixed sansai (mountain vegetables) in cold water and drain.
Step 4: Cook 11 ½ oz dried soba noodles in a large pan of boiling unsalted water for the time on the packet, usually 4–5 minutes, until tender but still springy. Drain and rinse under cold running water, rubbing gently to wash off the starch.
5 minStep 5: Dip the noodles back into hot water for 30 seconds to rewarm, drain and divide between deep bowls. Ladle over the hot broth and top with the sansai, sliced shiitake and 2 spring onions. Sprinkle with 1 pinch shichimi togarashi, if using, and serve at once.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sansai soba take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of dried shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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