How Do You Cook Udon Noodles?
As udon noodles only need to be boiled for a short while to become tender, making them relatively simple to prepare Fresh udon noodles are frequently available in packages that don’t need to be cooked beforehand, so you can stir-fry them or add them directly to soups.
What Dishes Use Udon Noodles?
Typically, udon noodles are served with toppings like tempura, spring onions, meat, vegetables, or eggs in a soup or broth.
Udon noodles are excellent for stir-fries because of their thick, chewy texture, which provides a satisfying bite.
Check out our recipe for Nduja Udon Noodles with Puffed Tofu and Chilli Oil if you’d like to try Udon noodles.
What are Soba Noodles？
Famous Japanese noodles called soba are prepared by kneading buckwheat flour with water, spreading it thin, and slicing it into thin strips. The light gray color is from buckwheat flour.
Originating in the early Edo period of the 18th century, soba noodles quickly became a popular fast food choice because of their low cost and ease of preparation. These noodles complement any soup because of their mild flavor and chewy texture.
Soba noodles are made of
In the past, all that was needed to make soba noodles was buckwheat flour and water. However, as the grain lacks gluten and makes it challenging to form the noodles, a binding agent such as wheat flour—typically all-purpose flour—is added.
The amount of wheat flour in soba noodles gives them their name, and they are available in several varieties:
- Made with 20100%% buckwheat flour, Juwari Soba (%E5%8D%81%E5%89%B2%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0)%20%E2%80%93% is gluten-free.
- The ingredients of Nihachi Soba (%E4%BA%8C%E5%85%AB%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0)%20%E2%80%93%20 are %2020%% wheat flour%20and %2080%% buckwheat flour.
- The ingredients of Gowari Soba (%E4%BA%94%E5%89%B2%E3%81%9D%E3%81%B0)%20%E2%80%93%20 are 2050% wheat flour and 2050% buckwheat flour.
For soba to be deemed genuine, the proportion of Buckwheat flour to flour should exceed 60%. If the product is labeled “soba,” it probably consists primarily of wheat flour and resembles udon noodles with a deeper color.
I strongly suggest trying Juwari or Nihachi soba for a genuine soba experience. These types perfectly capture the distinct texture and deep flavor of buckwheat flour. My personal favorite is Nihachi soba.
Furthermore, it’s likely that Nihachi soba is used in Japanese soba restaurants as well.
